Am I a writer?
I wish I am. I write poems, But am I a writer? I wrote a few senseless personal essays and some unfinished stories, BUT does that make me a writer? How I really wish I am. Having at my disposal, literary creativity. Like a fully armed soldier, who can fire at will. Anytime and anywhere.
But I don’t have that luxury in me. Attempting to write for me would mean, I really have to dig deep within, just to squeeze out any literary juice that I have, if ever there are any. Besides, Mr. Webster and I aren’t really, shall we say, the best of friends. I don’t have that wide a vocabulary and it isn’t my habit of consulting him for words that are Greek to me or to find a better sounding synonym for a word that I want to use.
Then why should I even ask?
Honestly, I really don’t know. Maybe because, lately I’ve been reading articles of features columnists in newspapers and magazines. Most of the time I find myself asking, who are these people? Who gave them the authority to write as such?
Their articles are so convincing and authoritative, with quotes even or excerpts from other literary works, to prove or support their articles. Are they the ones really writing these? Are they really capable? Or they might have ghostwriter, I mean personnel who work for them and just refuse some work that they don’t want to put their name on.
Sometimes, I even find myself saying, “I could have written this!” or “I could have written a better version for this!” Which brings me back to my first question. Am I a writer?
Well, I have successfully caught myself in a loop. I have already gone full circle. Going back to where I started, without even a hint of where I’m headed.
And if ever indeed I am writer, what should I be writing about? Should I write about how people would improve themselves, to develop a positive outlook in life and be able to achieve anything? I don’t think so, even I would have a hard time convincing myself to believe what I’m going to write on that topic. Because if I am indeed an authority in developing a positive outlook in life, if I am really capable in overcoming life’s obstacles to be able to share it to others, then why should I even have to ask myself if I am a writer?
Again, I’m back to square one.
Actually, after a hundred and one books, pamphlets, magazine articles and anything about self-improvement, I’m still the same old pessimist me. Don’t get me wrong, they are inspiring all right, the authors are not lacking in motivating paragraphs. But as for me, the drive would only last for a short period of time. The longest, being about a week. Life’s harsh realities would always pull me back to ground earth.
You know the feeling when you know that you have a great idea, you’re very enthusiastic about it! And the very first person that you approached to discuss your terrific idea would look you straight in the eye and say “You know that’s impossible!”, or worse they will tell you that it’s a stupid idea. Well, so much for motivation.
We are really going out of context here. That seems to be my problem, focus and consistency. I really don’t have a definite topic in the first place. But going back to the first question and if I may rephrase it, what makes a writer? What does it take to become a good writer? Can anyone just pluck out any idea from the air? Put some words into it, add a little paragraph here and there, elaborate this part, repeat some part for emphasis, insert a little anecdote or a joke somewhere and end it with a challenge, a threat, a question or just reaffirm the main topic mentioned earlier, and voila! We have an article!
Does that make a writer? Can anybody really just pose as a writer, even with a very limited vocabulary? Can anyone with an intention and a message to convey write? Or is there more to it than just a paper and a pen?
Well, I started with a question, and now I have more questions. I am still caught within the loop. Paragraph after paragraph, I am still asking if I am a writer. If I have what it takes to become one, if I can be seriously taken as such, and if I really have it in my system.
All I know is that I have the itch, and we all know that an itch needs to be scratched. There are times that I feel that I need to say something, that I WANT to say something, and the best way that I can express myself is through the written words since I’m not much of a talker.
Sometimes, ideas just flashed in my mind that I feel the need to write it down, to convey it, to SHARE it. I do know that I have the need the write. The urge to write. I too, have my two-cent worth of ideas, no matter how incredible or absurd they may seem to be sometimes. I feel I just have to let them out of my system.
And with all these being said, I still have the need to ask, “Am I writer?” I don’t know…, AM I?
P.S. This is an old article I wrote six years ago when I was not yet active in blogging.
Tags: Am I a writer?, Personal, reflection, writing
So what happened here was you asked yourself a fundamental question in this post. Are you a writer? Closer inspection would show you did not call yourself one, although you wrestled mightily this question in several paragraphs.
My take in this is that I’m comfortable calling someone a writer who’s at times besieged with self-doubt. Not that certainty is necessarily a bad thing per se. And yet that someone has a body of work to buttress his claim.
You have written short stories, poems and articles.
Your written work were published in a book. Not an e-book, but a real book!
And most importantly, you draw deep from within yourself stories that make us cackle in delight. There are stories too that make some of us look away with a lump in our throat because frankly those seem too dangerously close to home.
And anyone who knows how to use voila in a sentence is a serious writer in my book.
And lastly, not every one who calls himself a writer can rightfully boast that he or she has written a sponsored post and made me like it enough to post a comment on it. Di ba? Ahehehe
[Reply]
Roy Reply:
June 3rd, 2010 at 3:58 pm
haha! That last paragraph made me laugh, Jan. Yes, I do have that bragging right
Thanks Jan!
.-= Roy´s last blog ..“Please come back to me” =-.
[Reply]
Fence Reply:
September 3rd, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Voila! This is so true. lol.
.-= Fence´s last blog ..The Ballad of Phylum Band =-.
[Reply]
Roy Reply:
September 3rd, 2010 at 2:55 pm
whoa! what an honor!
I am thrilled that you left your fence to visit my humble abode, Mr. Fencesitter!
Thank you for dropping by!
.-= Roy´s last blog ..The kitchen is not my domain =-.
[Reply]
Of course you are a writer! With your writing prowess, who would say you’re not? Ah this was written 6 years ago pa pala. But look now, ibang level ka na, you have articles published in a book na.
.-= Amor´s last blog ..12 Premium WordPress Themes for Free =-.
[Reply]
Roy Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 8:02 am
writer-writeran lang Amor hehe…
I honestly believe, one book doesn’t a writer make
I know I need to push my pen some more if I really wanted to be recognized as a writer
.-= Roy´s last blog ..“Please come back to me” =-.
[Reply]
After six long years, and after browsing some articles here, Yes you are now a writer Sir.
.-= yodz´s last blog ..Getting High at Majayjay » Taytay Falls, Laguna Escapade =-.
[Reply]
Roy Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
oh, please don’t call me sir. But don’t call me ma’m either
seriously, thanks yodz!
.-= Roy´s last blog ..“Please come back to me” =-.
[Reply]
Paige Reply:
June 5th, 2010 at 2:39 am
hmmm….i hope i can still call you sir. Please…Please…Please…:)
[Reply]
Roy Reply:
June 5th, 2010 at 3:27 am
honestly, I hope you won’t Paige.
kasi, hindi naman ako teacher, hindi rin naman ako mentor… at wala naman ako maiturong matino sa ‘yo
kuya would suffice
.-= Roy´s last blog ..“Please come back to me” =-.
kuya? hmmm…di ako sanay. Actually, may naituturo naman po kau sa akin kasi magaling po kau magsulat
.-= Paige´s last blog ..Single Heart =-.
[Reply]
Roy Reply:
June 5th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
hehehe… hindi mo matanggap?
sana nga may napupulot kang maganda
.-= Roy´s last blog ..“Please come back to me” =-.
[Reply]
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