So, you want to be a writer, do you? If you read past this sentence, chances are you would love to see your name in print, maybe even on the spine of a book.
You’re not alone. Scratch ten people and four of them will have the writer’s itch. Three of those four will, in all likelihood, think it’s impossible and be too afraid to try. Take it from me, though, it’s not. Let me tell you about my writing journey, which began in earnest when I was thirteen.
Even before that, I liked to make up stories and write in journals, but a national Sunday school magazine short story contest changed my life. Winning that contest didn’t just give me a byline and exposure in a national magazine. It gave me the confidence to pursue my writing seriously, something that I have been doing for nearly seven decades now. I’ve walked the path that many of you are probably contemplating, and I’d like to offer a few insights to help guide you on your way.
Before starting high school at the age of thirteen, I could have been aptly described as ‘painfully shy,’ antisocial,’ or ‘that weird kid who’s always in a corner by himself reading.’ I had very few friends, even among my age group.
Things got worse when an experimental US Department of Education program moved me from 4th to 6th grade, put me in a classroom with kids who were anywhere from 2 to 4 years older than me, and made me a high school freshman 2 years earlier than normal. That first day of my freshman year, we were also in a newly constructed school building, a brick building with central heating, that replaced old, run-down wooden buildings heated by stoves in the corner (this was in 1958 rural Texas, remember), so I started the year sitting in the back of the room, keeping to myself.
My freshman English teacher, who was also our homeroom teacher, decided to pull me out of my shell, and part of her shock therapy to do so included encouraging me to write and enter this short story contest. When I won first place, I went from being the ‘retard who won’t talk,’ to ‘that strange kid who writes stories.’ I wore that moniker like a badge of honor—for a while. But the more I wrote, including becoming the community reporter for our local newspaper, the more I learned that winning a contest is only the beginning.
Becoming a writer, a real writer, happens when you decide to write not just for yourself, but for others. The journey begins when you commit to learning the craft and adapting your writing for publication. You’ll find yourself on a road with twists, turns, and more than few potholes, but if you’re serious about being a writer, it’s a road worth traveling.
Writing for publication is not the same as writing for personal pleasure. It requires discipline, a willingness to revise, and an openness to criticism and feedback. When I first started sending stories and articles to magazines, and writing articles for the local paper, I learned that editors look for accuracy, clarity, originality, and a strong voice.
I had to shift from writing what felt good to me to crafting stories and articles that would resonate with readers. That meant learning things like structure, pacing, and narrative drive. It meant being honest with myself about what worked and what didn’t.
I had one habit already that all writers must develop. I was an avid reader. A writer should read widely and write often. Every writer that I admire, I learned through my own reading, was a voracious reader. Reading exposes you to different styles and voices, and helps you understand what makes a story compelling.
Writing regularly is also important. When I worked for a small newspaper in North Carolina in the 1970s, a seasoned newspaper editor told me that a writer should write at least a thousand words a day to ‘exercise the writing muscles.’ Being something of an overachiever, I set myself a goal of 2,000 words a day, a practice I still follow.
As a writer, you must not be afraid to experiment, to fail, and try again. If you’re the sociable type, join writing workshops. If not, seek mentors or heed editorial comments on your work.
At first, you’ll get a lot of rejection, but don’t let it get you down. Keep writing and submitting. Persistence is key. Keep writing, keep revising, keep learning, and one day, instead of a rejection slip, you’ll get a check. Getting those first bylines is just the beginning. Even when you start getting more acceptances than rejections, you’ll still face criticism.
Don’t fear criticism, and don’t chase trends. Keep working and looking for your voice. Instead of writing about what’s popular, focus on what you care about, which will make your writing authentic, and authenticity resonates far more than imitation.
Keep at it, as I have for over seventy years, and one day you too can proudly say, “I am a writer.” Good luck, and happy writing. | NWI
