Meet the Writer in You Through
Self-Assessment

It’s amazing the things we don’t know about ourselves, isn’t it? Our lives are a continuous journey to find out who we really are. This article deals with how you can meet the writer in you.

Unveiling the writer within may lead you to weaving narratives to comprise a great story or coming to terms with various thoughts arranged in a comprehensive text.

When you’ve written in the past, did it create a sense of fulfillment in you? Did it trigger an emotional and intellectual response? A spark of satisfaction? If so, it could indicate that you’re ready to delve deeper into the literary world. 

This self-assessment can uncover why you write—whether to inform, persuade, entertain, or express. Understanding your reason for creating written work will illuminate your pathway and gently lead you into the art of writing.

Remember Alice in Carroll’s book The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland? The smoking caterpillar asked her who she was. Alice was confused. She could not answer that simple question.

You may feel much the same, unable at times, to answer quintessential questions about yourself. Many are writers but don’t know how to bring that quality to life. That’s when you must meet the writer in you for guidance.

I loved to write in middle school. I wrote clever limericks, and in high school, I enjoyed assignments involving creative writing. I seemed to shine in these areas. My career choice, however, was to become a nurse. When I retired early, I was lost, like Alice, not knowing who I was, meaning not knowing what I would do for the rest of my life.

I met the writer in me when I attended writing workshops, retreats, and took writing courses at a junior college. I attended author book signings. I felt comfortable in these settings. I pursued these avenues, and my second career was launched.

How can you meet the writer in you? You must be honest with yourself by knowing if you have a penchant for writing, whether to take it seriously or just to dabble in it.

How do you know if you should explore the writing craft or move on to another area?

Knowing the difference is a question that must be answered before you put pen to paper. Do you find yourself writing even when it’s not assigned by a teacher? Hmmm.

The Regal Writer can offer more insights that explore the notion of being a natural-born writer.

When You Meet the Writer in You,
You’ll Learn Your Niche

Image created with Tai and Canva

Let’s suppose you’ve committed to launching a writing career. You’ll need to plan how you’ll do this. Decide what type of writer you want to be. Choosing your niche is a strategic, inspiring move. Let’s check out these popular writing genres:

Fiction is where the imagination comes into play. It creates fantastic, as well as ordinary, worlds and characters.

Nonfiction explores, clarifies, and amplifies real-world subjects and events.

Poetry penetrates deeply into the emotions and interprets its rhythmic and expressive style.

When You Meet the Writer in You,
You Will Need to Learn the Craft

One necessary way to start is to learn the craft. This learning is a never-ending journey, however. There will never be a point where you’ll say, “I’ve learned all I need to know about writing.” No, it’ll never happen and thank goodness it won’t because it would become boring if there were nothing else to learn.

Reading different material goes a long way in learning the craft of writing. Even if you’re talented in this area, it’s considered raw, and should be honed.

One of the best ways to do this is to read. This way, you will pick up new words and see how seasoned authors use them to paint vivid pictures in the reader’s mind. Further, you’ll learn sentence structure, how they use grammar, character development, and other pertinent information.

Another step in learning the craft is to practice writing continuously. This helps to develop your unique voice and enhance your proficiency in writing.

After this, you will use tools to improve your writing. These tools include grammar checkers and style guides that will offer constructive feedback. Taking writing classes help immeasurably as well as entering writing contests or starting a blog. 

 When You Meet the Writer in You, You May Discover You Have the Proverbial Writing Gene

If the passion for writing runs deeply through your veins, you likely have the proverbial writing gene. This gene helps you to focus on the above steps, enabling you to not only refine your craft but also to gain confidence and create an impressive portfolio. This may open the door to financial reward through freelancing or content creation roles.

Discovering where you fit in with a particular genre allows you to master it, and by doing so, you will be able to connect with a specific audience. As this happens, a budding writing career may await you.

By taking the time to do a thorough self-assessment, you're not just meeting the writer in you, but you're paving a future for yourself where your stories may have the ability to delight, clarify, and inspire change. Know that your writing is a testament to your journey and if studied diligently, may have a place in the vast universe of literature. Moreover, unlike Alice, you will know who you are.

Images created with Tai unless otherwise indicated.