Who put you in the writer's closet?

A writer is by definition someone who writes, it’s as simple as that. In the evolution of writing and authorship, however, we've come to see money and/or being traditionally published as the true markers of literary success and if we’re equating book sales with whether or not you can be defined as a writer then I guess most of us should probably give up the ghost right now.

Fortunately though, in recent years writing and making a living, (albeit sometimes meagre) as a writer has become much more accessible and far less likely to have people give you a withering look and tell you “don’t waste your time and to get a proper job instead.”

Writing has become a much more viable and realistic option for those of us who can’t envisage a daily routine that doesn’t include some kind of writerly endeavour.

In a conversation I had with someone recently, we pondered on the reticence of writers and artists to actually own their craft and declare what they do, or are trying to do for a living. And it seems that there is still some bias in society towards writers who have been hailed in the literary world as worthy of being published.

It's unfortunate because there are multitudes of artists and writers alike who are creating some amazing work that never sees the light of day but which is nevertheless valuable in and of itself. It’s this kind of scoffing at creators who haven’t had any kind of mainstream success that perpetuates our reluctance to raise our heads above the creative parapet.

Why, in a world where I feel completely comfortable telling people that I identify as non-binary/pansexual and that my pronouns of preference are they/them do I find it so damned hard to say I’m a writer when people ask me “So, what do you do?”

It feels like there’s a vague undercurrent of shame that I can’t quite shake and I know I’m not the only one that feels it.

When asked what I wanted to do when I left school I confidently said, “I’m going to be a writer” and I still remember the response, in fact I remember the exact place it was said and the mocking tone of voice it was said in. So I put it to you, that if you are also a writer still stuck in the knocked back writer's closet, there was an adult somewhere in your life telling you that it couldn’t be done, that you’d never make a living and that you should think about getting a proper job or face the risk of starvation and destitution.

Admittedly it takes a lot of writing and a lot of luck sometimes to make a decent wage from faffing about at the laptop all day trying to create something readable, but those of us who write because we can’t envisage doing anything else aren’t always caught up in the money making factor anyway.

If you identify as a writer, don’t be afraid to start telling people, and when they ask (because they absolutely will) there’s no shame in telling them, “probably not but I could send you some links to my writing if you’re interested.”

Becoming confident about telling people you write can open up some really interesting discussions, and on a few occasions it’s given people I’ve spoken to the confidence to say that they write too.

Owning up to your creativity also gives you scope to challenge yourself and hone your craft. Outside of the confines of writing in secret you can really begin to immerse yourself into your practice.

It doesn’t matter what you write, it doesn't matter why you write, it probably doesn’t even matter if it’s any good because even bad writing will resonate with someone.

If you write you are a writer. Go forth and boldly pronounce yourself as such. You won’t regret it.