I don't just write, I'm a writer!

After years of answering questions or prefacing answers with, "Yeah, I write on the side. Its kind of a hobby. You know, I enjoy it- so if I ever get paid that'll be a bonus. I love to write.", I've broken free.

As the time has ticked ever-so-quickly by, and I actually have gotten paid for a few writing gigs I've decided that its time to step-up to the platform and proclaim loudly to all that will listen, "I don't just write. I'm a writer!", and you should too.

I know it can be viewed as a simple matter of semantics, but the psychological difference between saying that one writes as opposed to saying that one is a writer is profound.
Its like having a breakthrough or an epiphany.

It seems that most of us picture 'writers' as people who sit at cluttered desks surrounded by dusty old Dickens' novels, typing page after page after page, stopping only to occasionally appease their scraggly old cat by petting it several times before shoo-ing it away from their keyboard, and then taking a swig of scotch before quickly returning to tapping-out their masterpiece- never stopping long enough to see daylight or to even consider the chance of having a social life, but that's simply ridiculous (the length of that sentence was equally ridiculous, but I digress).
Okay, that was an extreme view, but we do tend to paint writers into this sort of stereotype, viewing all 'writers' as being a certain type or carrying a certain personality, but in reality- if you write, and your writing doesn't completly obliterate/mangle the English language (and you refrain from using "LOL" as often as possible) then you are a writer, regardless of your personality, behavioral patterns, or current level of writing success.

I know, you don't feel like a writer. You've never hired a literary agent. You don't have a published novel, or article, you don't have a successful blog, or you're not even close to finishing your first short-story or your poetry collection, or whatever... it doesn't matter!
You are a writer. If you write on a consistent basis, if your writing bears some semblance of being grammatically correct, and is at least mildly entertaining or informative then let me be the first to congratulate you-- you're a writer.

Welcome to the fraternity.

The next time you look in the mirror go ahead; smile, say "I'm a writer!", and imagine that beautiful 'mug' of yours being printed on the back cover of your life's greatest work, being carried (and hopefully read) by millions... or at least by you mom.


-JS