I have a quote taped to the top of my monitor, which reads, “A writer is someone who has written today.” Many times I feel pretty down because I feel I haven’t lived up to being a writer. Have I written anything today? I ask myself. But lo and behold, I find that sometimes I don’t give myself enough credit. I might not be writing the Great American Novel, but I am writing.
I am the newsletter editor for our chapter so that is writing. I blog. That is writing. Out of the blue, I get inspired and start writing poetry. That is writing. I journal almost every day. That is writing. Just because I’m not glued to my chair in front of the PC constantly does not mean I’m not a writer. And READING counts too. I just finished a historical fiction by a favorite author of mine. Pure pleasure reading. But I also learned how she wove historical facts into her story and how well it worked. That’s part of being a writer. Learning. So don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re probably doing all these things as well. You can call yourself a writer. “Never start a novel with the weather. If you do, have your character reacting to it.” — Heard this quote from an author (can’t remember the name) on NPR the other day.
P.S. The pic above is from my cabin window when I attended the Highlights Foundation writers’ workshop in Honesdale, PA. Spooky, foggy night. Speaking of weather ….