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What it Means to be A Writer

The complexities that follow every writer around.

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What it Means to be A Writer
Heather Joyce

Writing is easy. Anyone can write, there's no question about that at all. Writing is very easy, especially for those who truly enjoy it. There are countless things to write about. The old saying "Write what you know," well no kidding. That's all we can write about. It's a natural thing to do so, writing about things that you know. Like I said, writing is easy. But good writing, now that's a challenge.

What defines an individual as "A Writer?" Well, that could be a number of things. A lot of people would say glasses, turtlenecks, and a tweed jacket ought to do it. Satchels and hot coffee tie everything up in a nice bow. And a little notepad that's beaten to hell is the icing on the cake, or more like the whipped cream in the coffee. But that's not really what being a writer is. So, what is it?

A writer is an artist, in a non-traditional sense. Being a writer comes with a lot of difficulties. It's quite difficult to make it a career, so for most, it's a hobby. Time is a huge issue for a writer. There never seems to be enough time to sit down and write. But for those dedicated, we make time. There are always small windows that can be used to jot down an idea or edit your most current project.

Writing truly is an art because it is a form of expression. Most writers use their work as an emotionally therapeutic platform. Writing is, for a lot of people, the only way to truly say how one feels. When life gets so hairy and out of control, being able to sit down and write brings back some normalcy to the otherwise chaotic whirlwind that is occurring. Essentially, being a writer means using written words to say what cannot be verbally or visually expressed.

Additionally, being a writer typically means one is very creative. We, as writers, view the world differently. Sometimes this is good, and sometimes this is bad. It's good when the simplest of objects in the most mundane situations can ignite a creative fire so hot that within days, a rough draft of a short story or novel is produced. But it can also be bad because there will be times where reality and our creative worlds mix, often confusing the individual. Either way, a good story is bound to come out of it.

Being a writer is a hard task. For very few is it considered their job. Most writers do it as alleviation from the real world. We use our writing as a form of expression; a form of art. It's hard, incredibly hard. But I still firmly believe that anyone can do it. One must have patience, perseverance, and most of all, a creative mind. I take back what I said in the beginning, writing isn't easy. It's quite difficult, especially for good writing. But I strongly recommend you to give it a shot in times when you feel as though things are too much.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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