I WANT TO BE A WRITER

I WANT TO BE A WRITER
He entered my office with an intense look in his eyes, clearly with something important on his mind. He fidgeted nervously in his seat as he began to speak.

“I want to be a writer,” he said.

“Is that all? “I asked calmly

“That’s all. “How should I go about it?”

“To be a writer, you have to write” I answered him while shuffling through some papers on my desk.

I could see he wasn’t enthused by what I said. So I added, “Singers sing, drummers drum and dancers dance. If you want to be a writer, write and keep writing”.

“Sir, I truly want to be a writer”.

“I have answered you. Just write. Pastors preach writers write, and keep writing”.

(Awkward silence).

Ok, do you want to be a writer?

“Yes”.

“Yes, Sir”, I corrected him.

“Yes Sir”.

“Are you ready to write 3000 words and have someone draw a red line across it saying this is not up to standard”?
“Are you ready to stare at a blinking cursor wondering what went wrong with you”?
“Are you ready to be alone with yourself”?
“Are you ready to write 100 articles and discover later that people are not reading it except you dog and your Mama? Your cat wouldn’t even look at the screen of your computer when you are writing”.
“Can you work when inspiration and motivation disappoint you”?

Can you deal with the thief in your mind that is after your promise? (Jim Rohn-Beware of the thief on the street that’s after your purse. But also beware of the thief in your mind that’s after your promise”).
I mean can you continue to write even when a voice consistently says “So you think you are an expert now”? “What makes you think anybody will read this”? “Remember you didn’t study linguistics nor do you know anything about journalism”?“People have already written on his subject stop wasting your time”

“Are you open to consistent learning, reading, and writing? Do you crave it as the air you breathe? I mean read everywhere and write when you can lifestyle”.

“Are you ready to listen to other people tell their stories? I mean listening to learn before telling your own story”?

(More awkward silence)

“If your eyes are on money, go get a job in the bank and leave writing. Writers don’t hate money. They write because of love not lust”.
(Silence).
“I have a meeting now. Think about it and come back later”.
“Ok, Sir”.
“One more thing. If you dare start to write, never stop writing. Those who stopped are the dead ones. If you are alive you must keep writing. That’s how we know you are still here”.

SELAH.

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To read another blog https://ovyay.com/chronicles-of-a-writers-life/

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