Can I call myself a writer if I have not sold any work?
Being a writer is a state of mind as well as a profession or career; it is a calling. What does this mean for those of you who have yet to sell that first article, poem, screenplay, or book?Since you cannot predict when, or if, the world will recognize (or reward) your hard work, do not lose sight of why you became a writer.If you can answer "yes" to any of the following questions, consider yourself as much a wordsmith as any blockbuster author or award-winning screenwriter:
Do you see an article, book, or movie in many of the events around you?
Are you hooked on the magic of words, and the art of turning them into memorable sentences?
Do you read other writers' works with an eye to their technique or style?
Are the best times of your life spent in front of your computer dreaming up stories?
Many writers have other jobs or careers. (Some use their professions as the backdrop for their novels or screenplays, for example, Michael Crichton, John Grisham, and Patricia Cornwell.)Most writers, on the other hand, do not earn their living from writing but hold down other jobs to pay bills and rent. Oftentimes, the demands of work can lead you to relegate your writing to second place.Think of writing as your second (maybe one day, lucrative) job. Take it seriously. Create a writing schedule that works for you. This might mean only several hours a week. Whatever that schedule, write it down. Follow it.Your task, however, is to continue to hone your craft until you find your unique voice and your audience.Your genre might not be "in" this year; nonetheless, continue to live your dream with faith and determination.The great gift of writing is that you can do it at any age, anytime, or anywhere.Likewise, you can "make it" at any age, anytime, or anywhere.