Category: For Writers

At least that what some people who had never tried to write a book think. Ernest Hemingway use to say:

There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.

Seems like an easy job, you sit for long hours looking at nothing, drinking coffee and listen to music. (at least I do)
It is perfect. Until you begin the writing process and even when you are dying to bleed and the story to come nothing happen, the words don’t flow, there is no idea creation and the only thing that there is around you is an empty cup of coffee and a page in blank.
Write is easy, being a writer is easy. Many times I have said that I don’t believe that there are many writers by choice but by need.. It is hard to pick a profession in which you fight against your fears daily, alone in a room while society thinks that you do nothing all day and that they will be able to create in less time and less effort more than you… the interesting part is that they have not done it… and probably never will

Who want to be a person that sit in a room for hours talking to imaginary voices that think that you are terrible at what you do.
Who want to be a person that spend months working on words that doesn’t ever feel really good.
Who want to be a person that may spend months working on a piece that maybe no one will ever read, even if published.

Most likely no one… but for many writers that doesn’t matter, because in general we think more on the following option:

Who want to be the person that spend many months working to change 1 person life.

I am not aware of many parents that tell their kids not to try to be a Doctor, Engineer, Lawer or a Business Mayor. Somehow doesn’t matter if you pick one of those “safe” careeers you will be ok. Even if you will be terrible at them, you will be OK.
Insterestingly enough, I know plenty of writers that got the opposite advise. “Don’t waste your time writing”, “You are not a writer”, “Pick a safe path” and many more things. My parents did it, as well as the parent of so many of my writers friends (and the parents of many that simply stop writing becasue of that)
I don’t think you pick to be a writer, in the same way that you don’t pick to be a doctor or a lawyer or a salesman. You are and you can train yourself to be better, much better.
Who want to be a person that sit in a room for hours talking to imaginary voices that think that you are terrible at what you do. Who want to be a person that spend months working on words that doesn’t ever feel really good. Who want to be a person that may spend months working on a piece that maybe no one will ever read, even if published.
Sales people make calls that never get anywhere, doctors had patients that die even when they do everything in their hand to help, business people invest months on projects that never accomplish anything… but somehow those are better bets… at least according to some parents.
If you ever dreamed to be a writer, then you need to write, spend the time, learn the craft, and discover that after many hours you will get a perfect sentence that you will never use…