So You Say You Want to Become a Writer

By: Ebonye Gussine Wilkins

A lot of people want to be writers. If they seem to have mastered the English language then I tell them to just go ahead and write. But giving that advice to want-to-be writers just results in a hurricane of the same kinds of questions. I typically give the same kinds of responses.

But what do I write about?

Well, what do you want to write about? Write what you want to write.

But how do I start?

You sit down and you start writing or typing whatever comes to mind. Just like walking, writing takes practice. No one is just good at it.

Where do I get ideas?

You can watch other people, you can read, you can watch TV, you can use your imagination. The ideas that come to you don’t have to be complex, or profound. Just write whatever comes to mind. You can worry about fixing details later. The point is to get writing.

I want my readers to come into 2015 with no writing excuses. We’ve all had plenty of them, but if you want to write, there is no better place than just starting. Writing doesn’t have to be perfect the first time you do it. It takes time and years to build up to writing efficiently, and sometimes that doesn’t even work. But it’s okay. No one is perfect (at anything) especially writing. Just get to it!

What excuses do you give yourself for not writing?