You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One)

What you do next though is what forms your character. It’s what determines the course of your life’s work and what makes a legacy. It’s the difference between someone who creates something memorable and meaningful and someone who just gives up.

If you want to write and put your words in the corner of your hard drive and you’re happy with that, then great. The first section is for you. Write. Clarify your worldview. Get comfortable with your voice. Build a habit of writing that works for you. But if you want your words to get the attention they deserve as a product of your passion, then at

And how do you earn their trust? You need to do something for them to show you’re worthy of letting down their guard.

A channel of your own is essential to building a platform and extending your reach beyond your immediate networks. Without it, you are either borrowing attention or stealing it. The only way to earn it is by sharing a meaningful message through a channel you own.

There are three elements to every brand. When building yours, pay attention to these: Name: Your actual name, a brand name, or a pseudonym. Image: A logo, your face, or some kind of custom headshot. Voice: Your style and tone of communication. It’s how people recognize you.

Good writers take criticism on the chin and say “thank you” to helpful feedback; they listen to both the external and internal voices that drive them. And they use it all to make their writing better. They’re resigned to the fact that first drafts suck and that the true mark of a champion is a commitment to the craft. It’s not about writing in spur

“This business of… being a writer is ultimately about asking yourself, ‘How alive am I willing to be?’” —ANNE LAMOTT

It’s time to put your work out there—not because you’ll succeed. Quite the opposite, in fact. You’ll probably fail (I’m such an encourager). But it’s important. Because in the failure, you can learn. You’ll have to learn the lesson every writer hates learning. You’ll have to live through the fear so you can hear the hard feedback that will help you

Bad writers don’t understand this, which is precisely what makes them bad writers. They presume their writing has achieved a certain level of excellence, so they are closed off to the concept of editing or rewriting.

began to steam. Swallowing hard and working up the courage to speak, I finally uttered, “Well, I guess it is. I mean —I suppose I hope to maybe be a writer… someday.” My friend looked at me without blinking and said, “Jeff, you don’t have to want to be a writer. You are a writer. You just need to write.” Those words struck a chord in me. The next d