Do People Know That You Write?
Everyone writes, at least a little—just because we have to—if only to sign our name at times.
Some folks write a lot, on purpose and on deadline—usually as freelancers, concocting what others want.
Then, there are the "creative writers"—some very business-like, some way around the bend of normality.
Another "class" of writer is the person who isn't writing yet, or has done a little and wonders if they'll ever get back to it.
I call someone who hasn't done much more than sign checks, yet would like to write a lot more, a writer because so much of creative writing happens before, and in between, pen on paper or fingers on keys.
Writing, in a deeply important sense, is all about what's inside the writer. What ends up outside the writer, as a book or a series of essays, is quite often felt by the writer as no longer "theirs"—sometimes to the point where they actually say it came from "beyond them"…
So, sliding back to the point of this post: If you're a creative writer, even if all the words are still inside, do other people know you're a writer?
If they don't, why haven't you told them?
Teralyn Rose Pilgrim wrote a guest post for Nathan Bransford back in May called, Do You Tell People You Write?.
The kind of responses Teralyn chronicles from those who've been told she's a writer could be the major reason many people never utter a word about an activity they invest in with heart and soul…
If I copied them here, I'd be "stealing" nearly her whole post—do go read it, but only if you can answer yes to more than one of these questions:
If you've told folks you write, do you most often wish you hadn't?
If you haven't told folks you write, is it because you fear the reaction you might get?
Is there a particular person you revealed your writing to who made you wonder about your sanity?
Is there a particular person you haven't told your secret to who you think would love to know?
Do you feel you're a writer even though you've never put the words and ideas inside you on paper or screen?
By the way, there's no penalty for answering one of those questions in our comments :-)
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