by Pamela Gifford

Created on: July 11, 2008

It is my sincere belief that no one just "becomes" an author. There are tons of writers out there, most of whom don't realize there are places that they CAN get published and others that simply lack the will to do so. Me? If it were my choice, if I could live decently otherwise, all I would do is write and I wouldn't care if I got paid to do it. If I could simply write and hand it out for others to read without having to go through the hectic world of publishing, then I would be in utopia. The publishing side of writing is a frustration many writers experience; one that I still experience. But the sentiment that you have to be published to be an author is one that I don't particularly agree with.

There are several kinds of writers out there. Whether you write fiction, non-fiction, editorials, or how-to's, as long as you are getting the words in your head down on paper (or computer, as the times have changed), that makes you an author. It doesn't matter if your name isn't a household name (I can see someone saying, I want to be the new Pamela Gifford!) or if your work is boxed up in the attic. If you've written it down and more than one person has read it, you have become an author.

There are two specific elements to consider to determine whether someone has the potential to be an author. The first one is talent. A person can have the ability to form sentences coherently or simply be able to reply to a letter but it takes pure talent to have the creativity and imagination required to get original ideas out of their head and into words. The second element is determination. It takes a lot of will to take the time, focus, and concentration to get ideas down into useful words.

It takes even more willpower to hand over your work to others so that they can read it. Some writers cannot do it and it is that element that held me back for a long time. Of coarse, there are many writers that only allow close family to read their work. For awhile, the only person I would allow into that world was my father. He was a hard core reader so for a long time I thought that he would tell me the truth about my writing. Then, when he read something of mine that he REALLY liked, his whole demeanor changed to an excitement I'd never seen. I realized then that he wasn't telling me the truth. No matter how much you tell your close family to "give it to you straight", more often then not, they will lie to you to spare your feelings. That's why it's an absolute must to allow others to read your work.

How do you become an author? If you know you have the talent then just sit down, get the words out of your head and onto the paper. Then allow more than just your spouse or mother to read it. Only then will you be an author.

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