I read advice once, on becoming a writer. I think it was in an interview with Matthew Reilly. He said – if you want be a writer, you need to call yourself a writer. On my way home from my last overseas trip (remember those, pre-corona?) I listed writer as my occupation on the immigration form. I called myself a writer, I thought. I’m a writer now. Right?
I keep looking for advice on how to become a writer. Many other writers say – to be a writer, you just have to write. So, I do. I write as much as I can muster, and the rest of the time I think about what I will write. Some days I write pages and pages. Some days it’s a few lines. Other days it’s edits and re-writes. And still other days it’s a desolate canyon with tumbleweeds lazily rolling past. I’m writing, I think. I’m a writer now. Right?
Still more advice promotes the need to learn the skill of writing. If you want be a writer, you need to perfect the craft of writing. I believe in the importance of honing my craft, and enrolled in (another) online writing course, this time with C.S.Lakin. It’s very good. I’m learning the craft, I think. I’m a writer now. Right?
Someone from my writing group said having a blog is a good way to raise awareness of your identity as a writer, and get your writing out into the world for others to read. So, I went on WordPress and created a blog – this blog. I make posts (though not as many as I should) and upload stories, flash fiction and poetry. I have sent my writing out into the world, I think. I’m a writer now. Right?
Just today I won a flash fiction completion through Writers Victoria, and received posts of congratulations from so many writers on Twitter. I won an actual writing competition, I thought. I’m a writer now. Right?
So why do I feel like a fraud?
David McK Writes 