Confidence: I Am
October 5th, 2007
A friend recently told me something. I’ve head it a couple of times now and I finally went and took the advice. The suggestion was that I tell people, with an air of confidence, when asked, that I am a writer. Well, I did just that.
I work at two different restaurants. One more so than the other. The one that I work at less is more bar centered and lots of drunks go wandering around there. Well, I finished up, clocked out, and waited in the main area. I love to read out there. The chairs are so soft and my back hurts so much when I’m done.
Anyways, this drunk guy came out and walked past me to the elevator. He was waiting for the thing to come down when he turned to me and asked what I was reading. I told him it was called “Write Away” and that it was a book about writing. He asked if I was a writer, his eyes lighting up in a weird way. I told him that yes, in fact I am a writer. He nodded and smiled, taking his elevator up and telling me to have a nice night.
He was a stranger and drunk but it was good practice to tell someone that I’m a writer. It kind of felt good. I mean- I’m not an author but I really am a writer. I spend all my time writing. I read about it and discuss it with others. I constantly think about it and work through my stories. The process, weaving words together, structure, prose. Everything.
Whoo hoo! Only one spelling error this time. I must be getting better.
It is hard to say isn’t it :). I especially toil with whether I’ll say I am a poet or a writer because I am first a poet and secondly a poet who is trying to write in other genres.
Congrats on being able to do it. I usually cop out and say the other truth–that I’m a student :)
–Jessie
I have a nasty habit of adding the word ‘aspiring’ before the word ‘writer’.
The way I am begining to look at it- I am a writer as I am constantly writing, but I am not an author as I have not yet published anything. Therefore I shouldn’t have any fear over being a writer.
This still doesn’t help me when it comes to telling people but I think it’s a good way to look at it.
I know this is an old post but I couldn’t resist. Just several weeks ago I was able to say for the first time to someone, “I am a writer.” You of all people can certainly attest to the fact that breathing those four words opens up this whole, new, liberating world to us. I’m soaring because of it!
Jo: Oh, I love when people comment on my older posts! There’s all kinds of good stuff in the achives that gets ignored when newer stuff pops up so I’m happy you took a look around.
Yes. Those four little words have so much more power than most people would expect. I’m so happy for you! :D:D:D