Everyone Is A Writer

And that’s a problem.

Take for example, a movie maker. One has to have the stories, crew and actors in sync, spend 100s of hours and then maybe a movie is made.

But you can type a story of love in your WhatsApp message and you are a writer.

The entry barrier is none for being a writer. So, if you can write which any literate person can – they are a writer.

Hence, you see the illusion that anybody can write, so why do we need to pay for your writing?

Here’s the catch – being a writer is easy but being a professional writer is a skill which needs to be honed.

Here are some key characteristics of a professional writer:

1. She writes daily as a practice – not to publish but to hone her skills.

2. She has a defined niche in which she learns and caters to clients. It’s her job to find unique stories to tell in her niche.

3. She writes with deadlines. Her story gets published in the particular day of magazine not because she completed the story that day. But because that was the deadline and she delivered.

4. She has a story to tell. She doesn’t simply collect the facts and lists them. But rather she weaves a story which is consistent with the client’s demand and voice.

5. She earns money from her writing – either as a freelance, retainer or a salary.

Of course, this list is an indicative list and not exhaustive one. If you are the one who wants to jump into the professional world of being a writer – maybe start with something on this list.

What else did I miss?