I met a gentleman a few weeks ago who gave me a great definition of a writer vs. an author. He said an author is a writer who has been published. Under that definition we are all writers. We all write, whether it is emails, grocery lists, blogs, poetry, novels, memos, etc.
But we don't all consider ourselves writers. I have dabbled in poetry and a few other things for many of my growing-up years. But I have only recently begun to consider myself a writer (see my short essay "i am a writer"). So what made the difference? I did!
When talking to my husband the other day, I realized the difference between most of us and those who consider themselves writers: it is all about how we think...literally. The difference for me occurred when I started thinking about my writing.
I used to write for assignments mostly, but not for myself very often. I started really writing for myself with my first novel, Market Murder. I started trying to figure out how to make things work. But this novel I'm working on right now is definitely for myself (and hopefully others in the future). And that is when the difference really happened.
I can't stop thinking about my novel! When I'm cleaning the house, when I'm driving down the road, when I'm trying to have a conversation with my husband, I'm still thinking about my novel. What should I do here? How do I make this scene work? This part of my story is coming up...how do I set it up? Everything I see or do seems to somehow relate back to my novel.
For example, I was driving down the road with my husband the other day and saw a billboard for a Renaissance festival. My mind automatically shifted to my story. I had been describing a dress, and the best research I could find were costume websites who claimed to be authentic enough that fair/festival goers purchased their products. I literally had a flashback to my own writing, and it was several minutes before I came back to the conversation with my husband.
So that's what thinking like a writer means. When you can't stop thinking about you're writing, then you realize you really are a writer.
But we don't all consider ourselves writers. I have dabbled in poetry and a few other things for many of my growing-up years. But I have only recently begun to consider myself a writer (see my short essay "i am a writer"). So what made the difference? I did!
When talking to my husband the other day, I realized the difference between most of us and those who consider themselves writers: it is all about how we think...literally. The difference for me occurred when I started thinking about my writing.
I used to write for assignments mostly, but not for myself very often. I started really writing for myself with my first novel, Market Murder. I started trying to figure out how to make things work. But this novel I'm working on right now is definitely for myself (and hopefully others in the future). And that is when the difference really happened.
I can't stop thinking about my novel! When I'm cleaning the house, when I'm driving down the road, when I'm trying to have a conversation with my husband, I'm still thinking about my novel. What should I do here? How do I make this scene work? This part of my story is coming up...how do I set it up? Everything I see or do seems to somehow relate back to my novel.
For example, I was driving down the road with my husband the other day and saw a billboard for a Renaissance festival. My mind automatically shifted to my story. I had been describing a dress, and the best research I could find were costume websites who claimed to be authentic enough that fair/festival goers purchased their products. I literally had a flashback to my own writing, and it was several minutes before I came back to the conversation with my husband.
So that's what thinking like a writer means. When you can't stop thinking about you're writing, then you realize you really are a writer.
Exactly! Your story is so much my story. It's all in how you think. Everything I see and every experience I have I try to figure out how I would describe it in words. I even have to stop exercising to write down the ideas that flow so much more during that particular time. I'm get more ideas, but I also get less exercise. I wonder what is the greatest benefit of my exercise time? Hmmmmmmm
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I know of some writers who carry a little notebook every with them, including using a carabiner to hook it to their purses, just so they have something to catch all those momentary inspirations.
ReplyDeleteIt annoys my husband sometimes when I tell him stories because I tell them like I write them, meaning every detail, the back story, "show don't tell," etc. Sometimes he just tells me, "Get to the point!"
Hi Heidi, I am connected to Colette's blog (I am Michael's grandmother. I have probably met you before) and your blog interested me because I am a writer. I write family stories and essays mostly. Mormon Times has published my writing on three different occasions and they have another one they say they are going to use sometime. So I guess I am published, not counting my blog which I consider publishing also. My emphasis is teaching people to write their personal family stories not the whole story but little stories 1-3 pages-doable. I have a 6 week class beginning every February. I wanted to make a comment about thinking about your writing. I teach my writing classes that everything must be done spiritually before it is done physically. That is how God works, isn't it. It is always best to spend a few days thinking about a story before you sit down to write it. Your brain will do a lot of the work in the off writing hours and make the hands on time easier. I can see you are doing this also. I will check in on your blog to see what you are up to.
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