I picked up my business cards today. And there it was in black and white (or #0E0E0E and #ffffff) for all to see.
KRIS EMERY
Writer / Editor / Author of Freelance Your Heart Out
As I handed over my $157, I felt proud. I’ve struggled calling myself a writer. It brings up a lot for me about being ‘good enough’ and all those ‘stepping out’ and ‘being seen’ feelings. I’ve always felt I needed to justify myself around being published or qualify what type of writer I was for people to get it.
I’d get all sorts of intrigue if I called myself a writer, starting with, ‘Ooh, what have you written?’
She wants you to be a famous-ish author living next door or romanticises about your writer’s bolthole and creative country escapes.
‘Oh I’m just a staff writer for an events company.’
‘I’m more of a reporter really, like a report writer.’
‘It’s corporate writing though.’
‘I do mainly editing, some writing, summaries, reports, that kind of thing, yeah…’
‘I’m an in-house writer.’
‘I’m a freelance writer and editor.’
These are just some of the variations I’ve used to describe what I do while trying to stay hidden. Anything to deflect, minimise, distract or move the conversation on from the writer-ness.
Sound familiar?
But why? Why have I done that?
I am a writer, aren’t I?
Aren’t I?
I wonder if other professions are the same.
Maybe it’s a creative thing. I’ve never heard a teacher have a confidence crisis when she’s describing whether she can teach a class, or a plumber umming and ahhing over what kind of plumber he is.
Maybe it’s an entrepreneur thing. For the first time, you have to define yourself and stick to your guns. Although I even had trouble calling myself a writer when my job title was simply ‘writer’.
So maybe it’s just a me thing… Who knows.
Whatever it is, though, it makes a difference when you do it. You won’t write any more or less. But you will feel more writer-y.
Calling yourself a writer is only half the battle. Saying it bold and standing firm on it, almost daring someone to challenge it, that’s damn empowering.
Do it. Do it with conviction. Do it today.
Say it out loud
Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Put ‘writer’ in the tagline of your blog.
Add ‘writer’ to your email signature.
Say ‘writer’ next time someone asks what you do.
Affirm ‘I am a writer’ in the mirror.
Add ‘writer’ to your social media profile descriptions.
Get ‘writer’ on those business cards!
But most of all…
Be a writer.
You’ve got to be prolific to start to feel it. You don’t have to make money from it, but you gotta write. The more you write, the more you’ll believe. And the more you believe, the more you’ll write. And then you’re a writer.
Whether they like it or not.
Tell me you’re a writer. Say it loud, say it proud in the comments below. I dare you!
Kris, I really enjoyed this post. I am not a writer by profession, but I am stating to embrace writing as a legitimate part of my life, work and heart’s desire. I am doing it by scheduling time for it and weaving into conversation when I talk about what I do. My next step is publishing more of my writing — whether on my own blog, in guest posts or in articles for other publications.
Thanks for posting Laurie. I thinking trickling it into your speech and getting comfortable with it gradually is a great approach. I was kind of thrown in with it when my job title was ‘writer’ and it made me uncomfortable when I had to answer what I did for a living.
Please feel free to share your blog here. I’d love to read it and I’m sure other writers here would too.
Yes! I can so relate to this. I have tried putting this in my signature line and such and it does make a difference. For today, I’ll state it here: I am a writer. 🙂
This has been coming up for me again lately. I was thinking of changing ‘writer’ on my website header to something else. Someone physically restrain me!
You might also want to check out my mentor’s thoughts on feeling like a fraud when launching her new books: http://www.deniseduffieldthomas.com/2013/02/fraud.html
Yes!
Not just you, Kris. And not just creatives, I think. Perhaps a lesser degree in other professions, but there is always a bit of self-doubt, isn’t there? A bit of a fear of “What if they find out I don’t know everything/ is the best/ can do something.” Or perhaps not, but I like to think so.
Wanting To Be a Writer was my job description for so long. How awful!
Or maybe one up, which sounds quite nice, I guess: Aspiring Writer.
But of course, working with words, as writers, we kind of know that aspiration = wanting to be; so it is still not BEING a writer.
Steven Pressfield in his book The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, says something to the effect of the difference between a writer and an aspiring writer is that the one sits down and writes. Simple. And I read something this week that confirmed that (sorry, can’t remember where…) – it said “If you write, you are a writer, the READERSHIP will come later”.
But it still took me a long time to embrace the reality that I could call myself a writer. Perhaps also because I grew up in the culture of “Go to school. Get good grades. Go to university. Get good grades. Get a good job.” You are what you studied to be. And I didn’t study Creative Writing, I don’t have a Masters in English language…. so how dare I call myself a writer if I am not EXTERNALLY qualified for the role? But, I’m trying to get over it… please note TRYING – does the doubt ever leave?
Last year sometime I changed my tag to Writer. I might not yet be a published writer, or a well-read writer even. My work is still pretty much mine, and not close to finished. But it is still what I busy myself with and enjoy. It is writing work. That makes me a writer.
Wow! That’s quite scary. Better go write a bit now!
It’s about owning your gifts and being able to convey them in a compelling and passionate way. xo
I struggled for a long time with labeling myself creative and a writer. What helped me was to understand that some people are dancers (move to think), some people are talkers (verbalize to think) and I am a writer. I write to think and understand the world around me.:)
This is beautiful. I love your interpretation, Robyn. Put that way, I’d be a talker, a walker, a writer in that order.
Hi Kris
I totally agree. I’ve struggled for a long time with being confident enough to call myself a writer.
I get caught up in the romantic idea of a writer being someone who’s locked away in a cabin in the woods penning the next great literary novel. It’s taken a while to realise that writers come in all shapes and sizes, with different styles, different audiences and different creative triggers.
Happy writing!