If you're serious about making it in the competitive world of publishing, then it's time to embrace this mindset: you are a writer.
In a digital era where publishing a book is easier than ever, the competition for who “counts” as a writer has risen. Some people feel like they cannot claim to be an author until their book is published, or only when it has sold so many thousands of copies. Some don’t feel like they have made it unless they are a New York Times Best Seller.
That’s not to mention that many authors now, traditionally published and self-published, are taking on more responsibility for editing and marketing their books.
That’s a lot of pressure for someone trying to be a writer and even harder for someone who doesn’t feel like they are a writer, instead waiting on someone else to validate the title.
This is where shifting your mindset from “trying to be” to “am” is important. It’s easy to give up on your dreams when you keep trying and don’t hit your desired goals (yet). It’s much easier to endure the years upon years of grinding that all successful authors go through if you already know you are a writer.
That begins with identifying yourself for who you are—a writer, a novelist, a poet. Dare to think of yourself as a writer and to believe that even if you are not published now, you will be one day. Dare to introduce yourself as a [job title] and writer. Dare to take on the identity of a writer. Because you are what you think, and if you think it, you’ll believe it. If you believe it, you’ll act on it. And when you act on it, you will be a writer.
Publication is not required to be considered a writer, novelist, or poet. It’s a nice accolade to have, and someday you’ll get there, but the truth is, if you are putting written words onto a page to form an original idea, you are a writer, plain and simple.
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