I Am a Writer
I am a writer. This was originally posted on an old blog of mine back in November 2012. I almost deleted it without thinking, but as I reread the words, I remembered exactly how I felt at the time. Things have changed since then—drastically. Back then, I ended the post asking how to write again. Now, more than a decade later, I can answer that question with certainty: just do it.
Make yourself write every day. It doesn’t have to be polished. It doesn’t have to be meaningful. It doesn’t even have to be good. It just has to exist. Writers don’t become writers by waiting for the perfect inspiration—they become writers because they write. That’s it. That’s the secret. I am a writer, because I write.
Looking Back: “I Am Not a Writer” (2012)
Back then, I didn’t feel like a writer at all.
“I’m not a writer—not anymore. Well, let’s be honest and fair, I was never a professional writer, but I did write. I used to write all the time.”
And I really did. I filled notebooks, journals, and computer files with ideas. I even completed 35 stories on FanFiction.net, with 16 of them being multi-chapter and a couple that stretched into novel-length. Sure, they weren’t original creations in the traditional sense, but I poured myself into them, shaping those characters into something deeply personal. In those years, being a writer was second nature.
But then something shifted. One day, I simply stopped.
It wasn’t because of rejection letters (though I got a few). It wasn’t because I doubted I could ever be published. The truth was simpler and more painful: I lost the drive. I lost the habit. And when you stop writing, you stop feeling like a writer.
When a Dream Dies
In that post, I compared losing writing to losing a dream. It felt final, like the death of something vital. I even wrote that I didn’t know if the dream could ever come back.
At the time, I believed it had vanished forever. I played Powerball more often than I opened a notebook. I felt guilty for forgetting about NaNoWriMo, something that had once been my favorite part of the year.
The real tragedy wasn’t that I stopped writing, it was that I stopped calling myself a writer. I stripped myself of the identity that had always been mine simply because I wasn’t actively producing words. That’s where I was wrong. I was wrong, because I am a writer.
Rediscovering the Writer Within
Fast forward to today, and I’ve learned something crucial: once you’re a writer, you’re always a writer. Writing isn’t about publication, fame, or flawless words—it’s about showing up on the page. A writer is someone who wrestles with words, struggles with ideas, and sometimes even hates the process. But they keep writing anyway.
The truth is, there is no expiration date on creativity. Your words are waiting for you, whether you’ve been away for months, years, or decades. The way back is not through waiting for inspiration or mourning what you lost—it’s through one simple action: writing again. Just keep reminding yourself “I am a writer.”
Lessons for Every Writer
- Writing makes you a writer. Not publishing, not praise, not perfection—just writing.
- Habits matter. If you want to feel like a writer again, carve out time daily, even if it’s only ten minutes.
- Rejection isn’t failure. Every rejection letter is proof that you’re brave enough to share your voice.
- Dreams can be revived. Even if you walked away once, you can return stronger and wiser.
Final Word
If you’ve ever put down your pen and wondered if you’ll ever write again, I get it. I’ve been there. I thought my dream had died, but now I know, it was only sleeping. I am a writer.
You are a writer the moment you decide to write again. So, open the notebook. Tap the keys. Scribble nonsense if you must. The words don’t have to be good—they just have to exist.
Because the truth is simple: I am a writer, because I write. And so are you.
If you enjoy posts like this, you might also like my book review of Killing Time.
