Many emerging authors ask me what it takes to be a ‘real writer’. Is it writing a novel, getting a degree, finding an agent? Is it getting published, winning an award, making a living? My reply is always a much simpler proposition: is writing what you do? Not what you like, or what you want. What you do.
To help you determine if you’re a real writer, I’ve compiled a guide of four do’s and don’ts of the trade. Over the next few weeks, I’ll examine each in some detail. First up – one of my favourite ‘don’t’s:
Real writers don’t talk about how they’ll write a book one day.
