The Ridiculousness of the Term “Aspiring Writer”

“My advice to aspiring writers: quit aspiring, start writing!” – Sam Downing

Who came up with the term “aspiring writer” anyway? We’ve all adopted it. Isn’t in as far off the mark as you can get?

In my opinion, if you can’t imagine your life without writing, if you can’t keep your fingers from scuttling across the keyboard, you’re a writer. Don’t cheat yourself of that title. It’s yours. Take it.

What is it that we really are? We’re aspiring authors. If you can’t imagine your “castle in the air” without a book with your name printed on the spine, that’s what you are.

So, if you’re still busying yourself “aspiring to write”, stop wasting your time and just unleash some creativity. Form a few fluent sentences. You’re in. You’re a writer.

And then, you can aspire to take the next step. Be an author, or die trying. (Sounds dramatic, I know, but, honestly, when you’re ambitious, you’ll try. And you’ll keep trying.)

There’s Madeleine’s rant of the day.