Anne Olwin - Artist

writer stuff !

Kay Moser's Insights

Invaluable insights from professional writer, editor, speaker and educator Kay Moser.

Kay looks into the drive behind the desire in her article "Am I a Writer?"

Am I a Writer?

Lately I’ve been pondering what makes a writer a writer. For months now I’ve been consumed by the marketing side of the profession, and I find myself sinking into depression. At first I thought my dark thoughts were related to the sales figures of my books, but recently I’ve begun to understand the true dynamic at work in me. And I owe my new understanding to my readers!

Many shoppers approach me in bookstores when I am autographing my novels and say to me, “I’ve always wanted to write a book.” Then they go on to tell me about the novel they are dreaming about. Others approach and say “I am a writer too.” Then they start telling me about their writing projects. I listen for a few minutes before I ask the crucial question, the question that defines a true writer, “What did you write today?” If they hesitate, I ask, “What did you write yesterday?”

I’m not trying to be unkind when I ask such questions; I’m trying to help them clarify whether or not they are indeed writers. You see, writers write! That statement is so obvious you may well wonder why I’m saying it, but actually it communicates deep and helpful truth. A writer cannot not write. Writers are miserable if they are not writing. And there’s the source of my own recent misery. I dropped my writing time to market, but I’m not a marketer (although marketing is necessary); I’m a writer.

A ludicrous comparison comes to mind, but I’ll share it with you because I think it’s so true. At my dentist’s office there’s a huge poster, which asks the question, “Do I need to floss all my teeth?” The answer on the poster is “No, only the ones you want to keep!” As silly as this sounds, a writer’s poster should ask “Do I need to write every day?” And the answer should be “No, only on days when you want to be happy and fulfilled.”

At this point you may feel a bit annoyed or frustrated and want to dash off an e-mail to me explaining the complexities of your schedule and how impossible it is to write every day. Don’t bother. I’ve already sent myself that very e-mail. Then I settled back and got very real with myself and asked, “What are you going to give up to write every day?” It really wasn’t that hard to find a two hour block in my frantic life from 5:00-7:00 pm. What did I have to give up? A leisurely cup of tea (5:00-5:30), the nightly news (5:30-6:30), an episode of a mindless comedy re-run (6:30-7:00).

This may not be the block that will work in your life, but there is a block available to you. It may be only one hour, but if you are a writer, you’ll love counting it sacred in that it’s dedicated to your art. And the joy you receive from writing will outweigh anything you gave up to have the time.

You can check out more by Kay Moser at: www.KayMoser.com