Becoming a writer is easier than people anticipate. What holds people back is fear of rejection, although this forms part of the process of actually becoming a writer. There are stages which contribute to becoming a writer and these are outlined in this article in an attempt to help those with the dream of taking that step to succeed.
*The thought process.
*The writing process.
*Successful/failed submission.
The thought process.
The thought process involves many elements. Sourcing the correct market for the article or writing is essential. Many writers make the mistake of contributing writing to magazines in the hope that they will find something inspirational within the writing style. The error made here is that the writer has written blind, and does not know what the magazine wants. To take the guesswork out of potential markets, think about what they already publish, as this gives a great guide as to the kind of things they are likely to publish in the future.
The thought process goes further than this. It takes the writer into the realms of ideas, layout, order of written work and subject matter. Beginning, middle and end are catchphrases the writer needs to become familiar with, since it is the thought process which brings these three elements together to produce writing worth reading.
The writing process.
The actual writing process involves time and concentration. Once the ideas have come together for the writing to be performed, getting the right words on paper is what makes the difference between a potential writer and a published writer. Does the writing flow well? Do the words seem to come easily? The writing process itself is much easier if you create a spine, or outline of what your writing will contain. This helps the writer to organize their work, and to present it in some kind of logical manner.
Editing forms part of the writing process. Always read what you have written. Never be afraid of amending the work, and making alterations and additions to it, since it is within this editing process that a writer is able to distance themselves from their work, and see it for the first time as a reader would see it.
The successful/failed submission.
Submitting your work for publication makes people afraid of failure. Failure or rejection is one of the most valuable lessons a writer can learn. This means that one particular publisher did not like the work, but that doesn't mean it is wrong. What it means is that the editor didn't feel the work was suitable for the given project.
Whether successful or failed, the written work which you do has merit. It can be re-hashed at a later date or used as a guide to what editor dislikes what. If work is rejected, perhaps it is a good time to get to know what the editor does want. Most editors will be pleased to forward a set of guidelines and these are a valuable source of inspiration and ideas to the writer.
If the work is accepted, this gives the writer the impetus to carry on writing and is a wonderfully fulfilling feeling. Not all writers experience this first time around, and if you can look upon rejections as lessons rather than detrimental comment on your writing skills, these lessons serve to aid you in your chosen field. Writing is expressive and can become so much more than simply putting words on paper. It is by experiencing rejection and acceptance that a writer is able to see the balance and understand the differences and why they occurred.
These three elements are the most vital to becoming a writer. Many go no further than the thinking stages, and start to write without having conceived the idea fully. They don't finish, because their work has no given path and the writer no idea where the writing is going. The thinking stage allows the writer the privilege of having direction, making the second stage a lot easier to handle.
Writers all over the world are finding fame and fortune. Whether it's because of a short story, an article on current affairs or a small piece in a local newspaper, the writing world awaits new and fresh ideas, based on research, writing and submission. Having established the correct order to work in, any writer can succeed, if they indeed have the will to persevere.