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Have you got what it takes to be a writer?

By on November 19, 2016

Lots of people say that they have always dreamt of becoming a writer, that they have great ideas for stories, or that writing has naturally always interested them, yet they have never been able to find the time, energy or commitment to actually sit down and write. There are lots of different writers out there, some simply do it as a private hobby and have no interest in sharing their work or trying to get it published, for others, it is a burning passion, a persistent dream. If you are serious about becoming a writer you need to know if you have got what it takes. Often writing is a romantic notion and when the reality hits it’s not quite what you had in mind!

So let’s look at how you can test the waters, and decide whether becoming a writer is the right choice for you.

Share your ideas and views

If you have an idea for a book, share it with others, get some feedback, some constructive criticism. Your idea might be great, but when you delve a little deeper, it doesn’t have legs. You might need to go back to the drawing board, or you might want to forget about it altogether. If you are passionate about something or have a hobby you have expert knowledge in you could also use this to write. Start a blog or write an article and pitch it to a magazine and see how you get on.

Write something on a deadline

Writing, both fiction and non-fiction, is all about setting yourself targets and deadlines. If you want to write articles for publications or be a freelance writer, you will constantly have to meet deadlines, manage expectations and allow room for things to go wrong. Being a good writer isn’t enough, you have to be super organised too! For writers of fiction, publishers will set you deadlines, and even if you don’t have a publisher, setting your own deadlines is a good idea otherwise it is easy to let that book drag on for years!

Block out time for it every day

Can you make time to write every day? If you write every day the benefits are enormous. Writers who are serious about improving and advancing their careers will be able to re-order even the busiest of schedules to find some time to sit down and concentrate on their writing every day. If you write every day, you won’t let those creative cogs get rusty so being able to block out, and stick to a time set aside to do this can make all the difference.

Try writing short stories

If you want to be a writer but you are not sure if you have got what it takes to write an entire novel, why not try writing short stories first of all? This will help you get into the swing of things, and you can get a better idea of how much you enjoy it, whether you are any good at it, and if you have enough creative ideas to keep coming up with new stories.

Stop making excuses and just get on with it!

There is nothing worse than a writer who is all talk and no words. If you have that constant niggling feeling that you have got something to say, and writing it down is the way to do it then just go for it - it’s unlikely that feeling will go away until you do!

Becoming a writer isn’t easy, but if you follow the above tips, you’ll soon figure out if it is something that’s going to stick, and there is no time like the present to find out!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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