I’ve recently had reason to ask myself the question: ‘what makes a writer a writer?’. And the answer, as far as I can fathom it, is that a writer is someone who writes. Full stop. If you write, you’re a writer. I’m not suggesting that writing a shopping list makes you a writer, but if you write on a regular basis, something of a similar ilk, then I reckon you can describe yourself as a writer.
Some writers are paid to write. By people who give them a heap of information to turn into something people would want to read. Or they write from their own imagination or experience something that other people will pay to read or watch.
When it comes to writing, in my opinion, (a non-phrase, since everything in this blog is my opinion) it’s not a competition. It’s not about the people who are paid to write versus the people who write for the joy and sake of it. Because the people who are paid to write, often also write for the joy and sake of it. And when it comes to that writing, everyone is on their own journey. Everyone is making their own discoveries about how and what they write. And generally are looking for encouragement and validation. There is no need for comparison. Comparison is futile. As writers we learn from everything we read and everything we write. As a writer I’m in awe of everyone who writes. Because I know how hard it can be. And I know how addictive it is. For me. I can’t talk for anyone else. Only for myself. But I can sympathise. And empathise. And admire. Always admire.
YES YES YES YES YES. Brilliant. Spot on. Agree entirely.
xxx
Love it when we agree, Lotte 🙂
Writing snobbery, futile.
Words are words. I deliberately ignored everything I ever learned about English, and writing in general for my blog.
I wanted stream of consciousness, and my slightly obsessive ‘spot a grammatical anomaly at 50 paces’ default, didn’t fit with that.
Without being patronising to the reader, I often, no ALWAYS ‘dumb-down’. By which I mean simplify, replace words or phrases that serve only to make me look loftier with words that I know the readers will fully understand.
If the point is communication, and the aim is to make people feel better; and new ideas, not to pass gcse English, which none of my blogs would.
Sorry, enough about me, truly thought provoking blog, thank you for making me think x
Agree, Tanya, especially about the communication aspect. I was talking to a group about blogging today and we all agreed that when you’re writing to your customers, you should write as you speak, not some formal-report-type english. I think we’re all taught to write quite formally, so it’s a skill to write as you speak. And a sought after one. Because who wants to/will read reports?? Not me!! 🙂