What is the first step in becoming a writer? You would think that this would be "writing", but it is not. From talking to other writers and from what I know about my journey to becoming a writer, I have come to realize that the biggest obstacle for new writers is that they do not consider themselves writers. They have trouble believing that they are authors and yet you have to do it. When you don't create that belief, that belief, it becomes a source of sabotage - you don't value your work enough to give it the time and space it needs. How do you think of yourself as a writer, especially when you are not earning a living as a writer? Here are some suggestions:
What happens when you write?
If you want to be a writer, I'm assuming you think you have something to say and a strong desire to say it. You may not know how you are going to say it or in what form (poetry, novel, essay, etc.) but you know there is something. Well, you pick up your pencil or pen or you sit at your computer or typewriter. Write something. Whatever you write, just make sure your heart is in it. It doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't have to be clean. It must be an expression.
Next, no matter how painful it is, you have to show this writing to someone. It could be a friend, it could be a family member. Then, pay attention to what happens. Did the person reading your work cry, laugh or get angry? If so, you've done it! This means you can influence your writing. It's worth something. You have to keep going!
A teenage girl recently wrote to me anxiously because she is writing fiction and she is worried that her mother will read it and will be upset because she thinks this is what this teenager did. On the one hand, it's hard to convince your mother, but on the other - wow, that means the young lady's work is reliable and efficient. It's hard to ignore such impressions. This is a powerful incentive for you to keep going - if you take the time to take notice and respect that this is happening. I once had an author say to me, "I don't know if my stuff is good or not. All I know is that people cry when they read it. I told her that you like that. There is no clearer message than the answer.
Cultivate silence.
If you are having trouble thinking about what to say, it may help you to spend some time each day in silence. Some writers pray. Some meditate. The idea is to get in the habit of clearing your brain and tuning in to your inner voice. You will also be aware of the small possibilities that run through your mind that can later grow into bigger ideas.
What do you want to write Experience!
It's okay if you don't know who you want to write about. It may take you a while to figure out what is coming to you. And it may take longer to find the form that works best for you. Before I got into fiction, I went from poetry to essays. It took me years to do that. This does not mean that I will do anything else in these genres, but what I am doing fits perfectly. I encourage you to experiment until you find a form that is suitable for your writing.
Keep reminding yourself that you are a writer.
As you build your confidence that you are a writer, it helps to set up reminders that will take you back to the place in your mind where you need to write. When you sit down to write, it's easy to get distracted and start thinking about laundry or dinner. You may want to put something on your desk or on the wall in front of you that reminds you to come back to work and that you are a writer.
It can be a list of your values that remind you that writing is a part of who you are. These can be simple words like creativity or motivation. Isabel Allende, who writes beautiful, historical novels, will sit in her office with pictures of her surroundings, old photographs of people who will basically represent her characters so that she is surrounded by them. It puts her back in the place of her book mind because she is sitting in their world. These people are around it.
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