Don’t Be Fooled — No One Was Born A Writer

It’s a skill that has to be developed and anyone can do it

Writing isn’t for everyone, I get that. But for those who dream of becoming a full-time writer, it’s 100% possible. If a SCUBA diving beach bum like myself can do it, anyone can.

You see, writing is like learning a language. If you’re born in England, for example, you’ll speak English. If you’re born in Spain, you’ll speak Spanish. If you’re born in Nepal, you’ll speak Nepalese. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, you’ll learn that language.

However, learning a language is a long process. It can take many years before a child has firmly grasped their mother tongue and a lifetime to build up a big enough vocabulary to express a language fully.

However, the thing about language is that it isn’t static. It’s not some rigid being that’s stuck in its ways. Language is ever-evolving, changing, and adapting to humanity as we evolve. Language is a work in progress, just like any good writer is.

Being a full-time writer isn’t like having a specific “body type” that suits one sport over another. There’s no natural bias that deems one fit to play or not. It’s not like a Sumo wrestler that suddenly wants to become a ballet dancer or a ballet dancer suddenly wanting to sumo wrestle, for example. There are certain biases in those scenarios that suggest neither are the right shape for the other and they can’t be ignored.

Fortunately, writing doesn’t have those limitations. It is a skill that can be developed, and anyone can do it. Just like how anyway can build up a muscle in the gym.

There is a writer for every genre too, just like there is a sport for every body type. You can even invent your own style too. Shakespeare went as far as to invent his own language and look how good that turned out.

With enough courage, anything is possible.

Writers write rap music, comedies, movies, love songs, poetry, skits, power ballads, opera, novels, history records, scientific papers, graffiti murals, picture books, mathematics, astrology, birth charts, hieroglyphics, letterheads, newsletters, advertisements, coding…

… there are endless ways in which to write! The only limitation is the one we place on ourselves.

A rapper’s idea of writing might look very different to a historians, for example, but both are equally as important as the other.

What I’m trying to say here is that there’s not a one-size-fits all kind of a writer. If you want to write, there will always be a way.

Some precaution

Initially, writing, like anything new, can be challenging. If you’ve ever started running or going to the gym, you’ll know that the first few weeks suck. They really suck! The chest burns, muscles shake from exhaustion and a flight of stairs can feel like climbing Mt. Everest.

Learning any new skill can feel the same. There’s a teething process, so to speak, and it’s not always easy. Whether that be learning a new language, developing software skills, building a business, building a house, learning to drive, study, play a new sport, or becoming a parent, it doesn’t really matter. Everything takes time, and becoming a great writer is no different.

No one’s gifted the vast vocabulary of a genius or the writing craft of a top-selling author either, they are skills that have been developed, refined, and nurtured. The writer has dedicated great time and energy to their craft, they have devoted themselves to their path, and have patiently and compassionately matured over time.

All of these qualities can be cultivated by anyone wishing to cultivate them.

Learning from the best

Stephen King is known as being one of the greatest writers of all time and has received many accolades, awards, and recognition that all writers aspire to get. But one aspect of his life that doesn’t get the attention that it deserves is just how much he writes.

He has written and published 63 novels, 5 non-fiction books, and over 200 short stories. And he’s only 74 years old. I say only 74 years old because Carrie, his first proper novel, was released when he was 26.

I’m not all that good at maths but even I can see that that averages out to be over a book a year over his 50 year writing career. That’s phenomenal! And slightly un-human. It’s hard to imagine he’s had time for anything else in his life, let alone upholding a marriage but somehow he has.

Whether you like his work or not, that doesn’t matter. One thing is for sure and that is that Stephen King’s success shows everyone that dedication, devotion, perseverance, the willingness to make mistakes, the willingness to fail, and the desire to refine one’s writing craft is paramount to success.

But these qualities are not a by-product of his success. His success is a by-product of these wonderful qualities.

Or perhaps Tim Denning said it best when he simply said — never forget: writer’s write. Tim’s another unbelievably productive writer who certainly lives by his own message.

Understanding the brain

The brain operates on a set of neurons that fire and wire together to form thoughts, solve complex problems, and find solutions. This can take time. But once the ball is moving, it comes a lot more naturally.

Writing every day or coming up with new ideas can often feel like a challenge at first. However, the more we write, the more wants to be written. And the more that gets created, the more there is to create.

As much as the mind needs time to grow and expand into a full-time writer, the body also needs time to gain ‘muscle memory’. No one can run a marathon that hasn’t trained first. However, someone that has been training for months is far more ready. Writing full-time is like training for a marathon, you have to put in the hours behind the scenes, you have to work when no one’s looking, you have to work without reward or recognition; you have to put in the extra leg work, so to speak. But if you do, a full-time writing life is 100% possible.

If someone that dropped out of school at 17 like myself can do it, then anyone can. I’m at least proof of that much.

Qualities to harness for success

Success is a wonderful by-product of good habits.

What that means is that success can be cultivated. It’s not predestined, judgemental, or prejudice. Success often finds those who work hard, believe in themselves, and never give up.

“Many of life’s failures are people who did realize how close they were to success when they gave up” — Thomas Edison

Developing qualities such as compassion, patience, the acceptance of failure, the willingness to learn, perseverance, joy, humility, adventure, devotion, and dedication create a framework that supports success.

And that is a moment-to-moment, day-to-day decision that we can all take. If you just commit to improving yourself by 1% every day, in 100 days you’ll be 100% further ahead than where you are today. Can you imagine where you’ll be in 5 years’ time if you follow this pattern? What about 10 years’ time?

Aren’t you curious to find out?

Closing thoughts

This is a golden time for writers all over the world. Never before has there been such an opportunity to write what we want when we want and get so easily paid for doing it.

Platforms like Medium, Wattpad, and Quora make it possible for any writer to write and publish whilst building a loving audience and earning real money.

Self-publishing platforms like Amazon KDP, Smashwords, IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Draft2Digital to name only a few have opened up the possibility for anyone to become a legitimate author overnight.

The idea that some other entity is needed for you to succeed is over. The power of one’s creative journey is now in the hands of the creator. It’s possibly one of the most exciting, freeing, and liberating times for any new writer to start writing!

So, the question should not be how do I become a writer? But rather what do I want to write about? And then follow that creative spirit to direct you to where you need to be.