Today I am most fortunate to have a guest post from the lovely Sherry Isaac. She is an award-winning writer whose work sometimes takes her to unexpected places. Read on to see whether or not we can all truly call ourselves writers...
E R, the two most important letters to a
writer. Er can mean a lot of things to those who have chosen this profession
called writing. Or has the profession chosen us?
Er, what should I blog about?
Er, should I open my WIP, or watch
Grey’s Anatomy?
Er, how will I build my platform? Er,
should I build a website or blog? Er, plotter, or pantster?
But the great E R is also a suffix. By
definition, one who writes is a writER. That is how the English language is
constructed. One who paints is a painter, one who counts is a counter, one who
kisses is a kisser. The act of doing makes one a doer.
So why is it that when a new, as yet
unpublished writer confesses their craft, she is asked to support her claim
with a published book.
No matter how much talent or promise, no
matter how many years spent learning the craft, no matter how many queries are
made, no matter how many partials or fulls are requested, no matter how close
she has come, if a book can not be found on a shelf in the local bookstore with
her name in bold letters on the cover, the pronouncement is made.
“Oh, you’re not a real writer,” comes the verdict, through lips so pinched the
speaker might be sucking on lemons.
I’m not?
Really?
Then from where, pray tell, did the reams
and reams of printed pages in my office come from?
Embracing the phrase, I am a writer, is a risk. The confession
opens us up to scrutiny, people ask for proof, so until you score that NYT
label, you may want to tread carefully, and be selective about whom you share
your profession with.
Ray Bradbury, in his address to to The
Point Loma Nazarene University, shared this bit of advice:
“Get rid of friends who don’t believe in
you.”
Well. we may not have to go so far as
getting rid of friends. (I surely won’t. Nerd that I am, friends are hard to
come by!)
Some friends will come around, and learn
to respect your title. They may become your greatest cheerleaders. But you may
want to prepare yourself, and appreciate that some friends can only see you for
who you are on their terms, not yours.
So, what does this mean? Should you keep
who you are a secret?
No way.
The proclamation, I am a writer, can give you wings, validation, and the attitude
shift to take you from amateur to professional. It can take you from wishing
you might be published to knowing you will be. It can sit your butt in the
chair and do the work. As writer, you create the characters, construct the
journey, build new worlds.
And isn’t that what the job is all
about?
~
Raised
by Nancy Drew and Jane Marple, Alice Munro Short Story Award winner and
Maggie Finalist Sherry Isaac’s novels and short stories weave the common
thread of everyday life, love and forgiveness into tales that transcend all
things, including the grave. Find Sherry on the web,
follow her on Twitter,
like her on Facebook and
read her blog posts at Romance &
Beyond.
Thanks Sherry! I feel so....VALIDATED...What do you guys think? Do you ever introduce yourself as a writer? or an artist? or a musician? And is it a comfortable fit?
Peace,
Liv
