It’s that awkward question that has long caught me off guard and left me fumbling for an answer. “What do you do?” For too long I skirted the question, sharing instead something I liked to do or wanted to do.
And invariably, writing was one of those things.
But within the past month, I’ve begun answering the question affirmatively. “I am a writer.”
Except that isn’t my complete answer. I just don’t share the complete answer aloud. The second half I mutter under my breath. “I’m a writer who is read by all of 3 people, on a good day.”
I am a writer. And the three people might be a slight exaggeration. But you get the point.
I am an up-and-coming, wanna-be writer who longs to find her tribe. And one who loves to write. Loves to put ideas to paper (err…screen). One who has ideas and goals for several books. One who loves that something I write might somehow encourage another.
And I am a one who has much to learn.
So not only am I a writer – I am also a watcher. I watch what other writers do to learn from their success.
Jeff Goins is one of those writers I watch. And read.
I met Jeff a year ago at the Dynamic Communicator’s Workshop in Rome, Georgia. I distinctly remember him sitting toward the back of the auditorium, always with computer in hand, live blogging and tweeting from the event.
I have to be honest. On numerous occasions over the past year I’ve thought to myself, “I want to do what he does….only I don’t know how.”
So when Jeff blogged that he was looking for 100 people to review his new e-book You are a Writer: So Start Acting Like One, I jumped at the chance. I couldn’t wait to learn from Jeff’s compilation of advice, wisdom and experience.
You are a Writer was everything I hoped to find in an ebook about writing. And then some. It seemed Jeff had eavesdropped on my internal anxious wrestling about being a writer…
I don’t have an audience. Who am I to say I’m a writer? I’ve never been paid a penny for my words. I’m virtually unknown.
And he answered those anxious thoughts with honest, practical advice I can put into practice today. And tomorrow. And beyond.
“You are a writer. You just need to write,” he challenged.
I nodded.
“Once I stopped trying to please people, I found an even larger audience. I fell back in love with writing. And it made all the difference,” he shared.
I listened.
“If your writing only moves you, then you haven’t found your voice,” he instructed.
I took notes.
Jeff mixes practical advice on establishing a brand and finding your tribe alongside encouragement to practice and persevere in this short ebook. It’s a resource I’ll frequently refer to as I build a platform, create connections, and pitch ideas.
If you are a writer, Jeff’s ebook will take you to the next level. If you intend to be a writer someday, you owe it to yourself and your dreams to purchase this ebook today.
Buy it. Read it. Learn from it.
And when you do, you’ll be encouraged, like I am, to declare without hesitation, without reservation:
I am a writer.
