Real Writers Take a Stand

This may end up being more of a rant than a post, but I just can't take any more crap about what a 'real writer' should and shouldn't do!

A real writer writes.

That's it.

They arrange words for others to read.

Period.

I am constantly hearing people talk about what you should do if you want to be taken seriously as a writer, like have a designated writing space in your house for writing, or joining all the websites and forums for writers, or keeping a journal or notebook with you at all times, or writing at least something everyday, etc, etc. What's worse, is when I hear aspiring authors talk about feeling bad or unworthy of the title 'writer' when they can meet the criteria set by these so called experts(most of whom are unpublished by the way, so it's really like the blind leading the blind...) And worse, is when people call themselves writers when all they do is conform to all the criteria--ie. they have a great writing desk set up with how to books, and read pens and journals, and belong to all the forums and comment regularly offering advice that hey don't really have to give--but haven't written anything!

So, I say to hell with the expectations and the stereotypes. I am taking a stand.

Hello, my name is Marian Lee Vere, and I am a writer.

I have written two books, one that will more than likely never see the light of day, and the other is currently under representation.

I do not write every day, sometimes I don't even write every week, but I do think about my stories all the time.

This is my spot on the couch. It is where every word, every edit, every query, and every book has been written--other than two trips to Panera when I had a deadline to meet.

This is my oldest daughter Brianna, and this is what she did through almost the entirety of my last book; stood at my leg and tried to add her own dialog. I was forever moving her away, locking her in the dinning room, and deleting 'mmmmkkkkkkkkkkklkkkkkkkkkkl's, 'zzzzzzzzzxxxxxZZZZZZZZZZAzzzzzzzzzz's, and the like, from my chapters.


I do not follow eight thousand writer blogs, I follow the ones I like, and a lot of them aren't about writing at all. Nor do I fill the writing forums with advice, or commentary. I'll of course help where I can, but I don't yet have a ton to offer. Besides, if I have time to stalk forums, then I have time to work on my next project or at the very least to do some dishes.

Yes, I have an agent, but I was a writer before that. Being signed does not define me as a writer, nor did being unsigned.

My book may not get picked up. I will be sad, and I may not be an author, but I will still be a writer.

Writing doesn't define me, rather I define writing--or at least what writing is for me--which is what I believe a 'real writer' should do.