What does it mean to be a Writer?

“How can I possibly be a writer?”

“I’m not as good as others.”

“I’m too young to write.”

“My writing isn’t going where I want it.”

“Writer’s block has me stuck.”

“Should I just give up?”

“What’s the point if I’ll never be published?”

We’ve all thought or heard these before. Being a writer isn’t easy, but even more so when you’re a teen writer. I’ve been a writer ever since I could pick up a pencil. Trust me, one of the hardest parts is overcoming the negative view of being a teen/young writer. But I’m here to tell you that you’re never too old or too young to write. Adult writers may seem intimidating and more knowledgeable about the world, which is only true because they’ve lived longer than us. But this by no means makes them a better writer. Being part of multiple writers groups, I talk to adult writers on a daily basis. Some are very good writers while some have only just started. Though I’m young, barely an adult, some of my writing can surpass that of an adult writer. The reason? I’ve been writing my whole life and working on my current work in progress, Queen of Light, for about seven years now.  It is by no means perfect, but my work ethic is that of an adult; that’s all that matters.

Let’s take a step back for a moment. You may be asking yourself: “How can overcome writer's block?” “How can I compete with other writers?” “What if I can’t write very well?” The solution: write. It’s that simple. A draft is a draft no matter the quality. Many writers can’t find the motivation to write. And if you can get something down on the paper you’re ahead of the game. As long as you can get your story out you’re already doing better than some; there’s always time for editing later. And if you absolutely can’t think of what to write or how to start, just take your story and imagine hypothetical situations with the characters. It may not seem like much, but taking this time to explore your world is very important. If it is underdeveloped it adds to the frustration of not being able to write. But there’s no rush. I know how you feel. “How great would it be to be published before I’m 18?” It’s a nice thought and all, but the reality is some can do it and some can’t. I’ve accepted that it won’t be true for me, but I keep writing. Why? Because no matter what age I am I’m a writer. There’s a story in me that needs to get out. And there’s a story in each and every teen writer too, and they are just as meaningful and important as one inside an adult writer.

Believe it or not, being a teen writer is actually better than being an adult writer at times. Though we have less experience, we have more time and at this age our imaginations are one of the most active. I’ve found this to be true. Over the years my imagination has only expanded, allowing me to rework my story and add fix problems. So even if you’re simply thinking about a story you’re doing something right. You have all the time in the world to write. Don’t stress about word count or publishing, they can sometimes be distracting.

Now, you may have an idea for a story, but you’re not sure how to work it. What should you do? Ask for help of course! It’s easy. If you have a close friend or teacher or parent ask them to look it over. Having unbiased eyes, eyes of someone who doesn’t write, is a big help. They won’t nit pick at the details, they’ll be looking for how the story works as a whole. And if you have that you’ve already made the skeleton for your story; fleshing it out is easy from there. And if they tell you they don’t like it, don’t get discouraged. It might not be their cup of tea; they could prefer a different genre. But show more than one person so you get a more well rounded opinion. And if there’s a similar point from all, you know what to fix. It’s very important to get opinions of potential readers, to see what people want to read. I’m not saying write to appease popular demand, but sometimes the opinions of the mass are important to think about when writing. The point isn’t to make them happy though, it’s to make yourself happy. But for those who want to be published, public opinion may weigh more heavily.

And what’s the real goal here? Sure, it would be nice to be published and famous, but that’s not why anyone should write. You should write because it’s fun, because you want to. If writing becomes a chore you won’t want to do it anymore. That’s what I do. I write short stories and poetry in addition to my novels. Not for hopes of being published, but because it’s fun to write. It can even be addicting at times. But fact of the matter is, you, yes you, can do it. You can write that novel. You can be amazing. It can be hard at times, and you might want to quit. Take it from someone who’s thought about throwing their story away many times; it’s hard to quit once you start. For me, I just couldn’t abandon the world I created. Something about it pulled me back. And yours can do the same.

Writing isn't throwing words on paper hoping they’ll all make sense. It’s an art. Using the heart, mind, and soul to transport readers to another world. Writing is important to me, and I’m sure it is to many of you as well. It’s been there for me when I was lonely and made me feel like I was good at something. So push through the struggles; you can do it. I’m still here, writing, and so will you. Never give up. Someone out there needs your story. Even if I only have one fan I will always write. So don’t be so hard on yourself; don’t compare yourself to older and more experienced writers. You can only be you. Work at your own pace. You will be truly great, but it takes time. You’ll see yourself make progress. That’s the best feeling in the world. Keep writing. If you’re truly a writer your heart will know. It will never let you throw away something you’ve worked so hard on. So go out and share your story. The world needs it.