5 Top Myths About Being a Writer
By: Renée Kapuku
Tags: Creativity, Personal Growth, Authors, Self, Writing

5 Top Myths About Being a Writer

#2 Writing is not a real job

Oh, the joys of being a writer.

Whilst I wouldn’t have it any other way, and probably would struggle to find myself pursuing another profession, writing sucks sometimes. From the writing process to the part where you have to, you know, share your work, it can be a bit draining. What’s even more draining is having to constantly battle against the tide of wiring myths that can throw a large spanner in your work.

Believed by writers and non-writers alike, these myths are pretty common. If we don’t get a firm handle on them, they can wreak havoc on our capacity to produce work in the first instance.

#1 You don’t make mistakes in your work

People think you can’t make mistakes when you’re a writer.

The moment you declare yourself to be a writer, all hell breaks loose. Suddenly, you’ve transcended the realms of normal folk who make poor grammatical decisions. You’ve become a Super Saiyan when it comes to managing the typo. You have become the sensei of sentence structure. Truth is? Grammarly saves your ass every single moment before you hit send.

I remember when I first start writing online; I made the kind of schoolboy errors that made me question whether I was a writer at all. I remember my absolute embarrassment when I posted one of my first articles online, sharing with the social media world, delighted when people started hitting me up after reading my work. To my utter horror, every single one of them spotted the same typo. Being the dramatic creative that I am, I almost deleted my entire blog domain. The horror.

It was only when I came across a viral piece online by a writer that I spotted not one, but multiple mistakes. I sighed with deep relief internally. Finally, I had found my ilk.

Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that real writers don’t make mistakes. They make mistakes — that’s exactly what makes them real writers.

#2 Writing is not a real job

Writing is a hobby. Or a craft at best. You ever heard any of these? I have. I was hesitant for a while to call myself a writer. I’d even add ‘professional’ as an adjective before the noun to give myself some validation.

You don’t need it. Want to know why? Writing is a job. And as I continue this journey into the foray of writing professionally, I’ve come to realize just how much of a job it is. Not a lot of people are good at writing. The world needs writers.

There’s an art to being able to articulate yourself well so that you come across as closely in line with your intentions as possible. Writers are contracted and hired all over the world to do just that. Not as a hobby. Or a craft. It’s a job.

#3 You can’t make money from writing

The struggling writer is not a reality I want to live, trust me. The first thing I did? I searched for ways to make money from writing. I’ll be damned if I don’t get even a cent from my work.

Writing commercially and professionally is difficult. It can be a slow-burning candle, and it takes time to generate a significant amount of income. It can also be demoralizing if you don’t make income from the jump.

But it can be done. From monetized newsletters, writing courses, the Medium Partner Programme, contract work — there are plenty of opportunities to make some extra cash. Sure, it’ll take some time like most things. The bottom line is: it can be done.

#4 Great writers are born — not made

You can become a great writer.

Now, this is not to bash those innately great writers…if there are any. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a writer who hasn’t had to work hard to develop their skill. Sure, it comes more easily to certain people. It doesn’t mean that Shakespeare came out of the womb writing his famous plays. Chances are, he had to work. He had to learn, to go to school, to test.

Perhaps you aren’t a strong writer right now, and you’re in despair that you’ll never become one. Aren’t you in luck! Fortunately, humans are born with the capacity to learn. You can learn what works online. You can learn to sharpen your skills. You can learn to become great. All it takes is a little bit of patience and a LOT of perseverance — but point is, it can be done.

#5 You should only write when you feel inspired

If I only wrote when I felt inspired — I’d write absolutely nothing at all.

Well, I’d write a few pieces here and there. But not consistently. Things just wouldn’t work out. You wouldn’t be able to consistently look at my page to find something worth reading.

People seem to think the writing process is a divine mystery. That inspiration strikes writers like the alleged apple that struck Isaac Newton on the pinnacle of his greatest discovery: gravity.

That just isn’t the case. Most people have to struggle and toil to get their ideas flowing. Th ey have to edit their work in the same way you might use a hacksaw. They have to force themselves to write. And as ugly as it can be sometimes, it is necessary. And that’s okay — that’s a natural part of the writing process. Embrace it.