Do I Dare Try Writing?

Do I dare?

The guy above represents a whole lot of people who would like to write. They love to read, so they want to try their hand at writing. But thoughts like Do I dare? run through their minds. Can I do it?

Where do I begin? Am I too old? Do you need a degree like MFA to be a writer? Where do I go for help?

Let's take those questions one at a time.

Do I dare? Of course. There are no rules that say only certain people can be writers. The field is wide open to anyone who has the drive to pursue success in the field. There is no guarantee that you'll be a smashing success, but there's also no guarantee that you'll fail. If you don't try, you'll never know and you might always have that nagging I wish I had... doing flip flops in your mind. 

Can I do it?  There's no absolute answer to that question. The bigger thing is that, if you don't try, you'll never know if you can do it. You will be able to do it if you have both patience and perseverance, if you are willing to give time and effort, if you're open to learning from others. 

Where do I begin? Begin by trying some writing exercises. Use a search engine to find them or purchase a book on the basics of writing that includes exercises. Move on to writing sketches of places and/or people. Move to short stories or personal essays or memoir pieces that are not too long. Shorter is always better when beginning. Too many people want to write a novel for their first project. Nothing can be more defeating. Start with baby steps and work up to the big race.

Am I too old? No one is ever too old to become a writer. I harbored a longtime desire to write for many years. I finally started when in my fifties and I've never stopped nor do I want to give up writing. As long as my mind cooperates, I'll be at my keyboard and so can you. I interviewed a number of writers who started late in life for an article several years ago. Every one of them wished they'd started earlier but were pleased they'd finally followed their dream. Age makes no difference.

Do you need a degree like MFA to be a writer? Having a Master of Fine Arts certainly can be beneficial but it is not a necessity to enter the world of writing. Should you take workshops and classes to help you become a better writer? I think it is very beneficial to do so. Aim for one or two per year, whether in person or online. That old 'can't hurt, might help' comes into play here.

Where do I go for help?  There are lots of places for new writers to get help. One is a blog like this one. There are lots of them but stay right here and you're bound to learn something from reading on a regular basis. There are vast numbers of books about writing written by writers and editors. Make a habit of reading them. Join a writers' group, whether a social thing or a critique group. It doesn't matter but develop relationships with other writers. They'll answer questions and offer suggestions if you ask. Read, read, read what others have written. Don't pattern your own writing after a specific author but by reading the work of others, you'll gain a lot of insight into the type of writing that appeals to you, the how-to and lots of little things. 

Let's go back to the Do I dare?  Be bold, be brave, become a writer. You'll never succeed unless you try.