I’ve always been an ASPIRING writer.
Until Now.
I take pride in being an infovore.
And I had always marveled at awesome articles created by Jon Morrow, Neil Patel, Seth Godin and a host of others.
Often, I wondered when I would become a great writer too.
I did everything but write.
I read hundreds of eBooks. Subscribed to every newsletter I could find. Downloaded several writing software.
I even created a productivity blog (It’s gone now) :(
I gave several excuses like:
Not being favored by the Muse. Not reading enough how-to-write books. Not finding the perfect system.
Then one day, while I was scouring the internet as usual, looking for the one perfect article that would turn me to a super power.
I came across a book: You are a writer by Jeff Goins. In it, he mentioned that during his search for validation, he interviewed Steven Pressfield.
In an interview, I asked Steve, “When do you really become a writer?
Is it when you get an agent? When you sign your first book contract?
When you sell 100,000 copies?”
He said it was none of that. The truth was much simpler. When do you become a writer? “When you say you are,” he said.
I didn’t get it. I poked and prodded, trying to dig deeper. I wanted practical steps and formulas. Where were my charts and diagrams?
But he insisted, “Screw what everyone else says. You are when you say you are.”
It's funny I had known this all along from my exposure to the tech industry.
Done Is Better Than Perfect. What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid? Move Fast And Break Things.
I’m still learning.
This confession is all part of the learning process - something I suspect would last till the final breath.
But I’m now doing something I love so much.
I’m a writer.
P.S
To all aspiring writers out there. You’re either a writer (you write) or not.