I want to be a writer but what do I write about?

I hear this a lot - unfortunately.

Ask yourself a few questions:

Do you really want to be a writer or does 'being a writer' seem a cushy number and you could see yourself in that kind of lifestyle?

If that's what's really going on in your head, you're way off the mark. Give it up now.

I've been a writer for a LONG time and I don't got no Champagne lifestyle. (You have NO idea how much it hurt to write that... the grammar is abysmal!)

Do you have something to tell your readers?

Do you have a story that you think would fascinate or at least interest people? People turn into your readers only when they read more than one piece of your work.

If you don't have that story yet, work on getting one - or work on writing something that WILL engage, interest and fascinate. That's the only way you're going to become a writer - by writing.

If you're more into the factual stuff, rather than the fiction stuff, do you have a field of expertise which your readers want to read about?

Factual manuals - Life Coaching, tutorials / 'How To' books, research and knowledge-sharing are ALL areas where writers can become successful, but you have to know your stuff! You cannot 'wing it' in fields where there are experts. You'll come a cropper and you'll have to change your name if you want to start again - literally.

You could always make up a subject matter, claim to be the defining expert on it and make loads of money - but is it the money and lifestyle you're after, or is it that you Want to be a writer as you claimed?

As I said right at the beginning of this piece, if you want the JK Rowling /Stephen King lifestyle and that's the only motivation for writing, give it up now, before you spend a penny on a pen and notebook.

Harsh? Yes, being a writer is harsh. There are critics EVERYWHERE - some can help you improve if you want to, but if you're looking at this as a way to make loads of money, fast - then try something else, for your sake. Writing is NOT the way to become rich, successful, powerful, adored. One in a million writers make that pedestal and the chances are, it won't be you. If it makes you feel any better, it won't be me, either.

On the other hand, if you have a story burning inside you and you need to get it onto paper and have someone - anyone - read it or you'll just burst, then start at the beginning and work from there. Write notes if you want to, plot it all out first if you like, but start writing and don't stop until your story is finished.

THEN - read through it. If you cannot bear to read it over and over and over - and over, if it bores you when it's your baby, then how on earth do you expect your readers to want to read it even once?

If you're not constantly thinking about writing your story, talking to anyone that will listen about your story, then your story isn't the burning issue it should be (please note, I mean talking about your STORY not about the fact that you're a writer, that's not the same thing).

Either make your story into the burning issue or move on to the next thing. Eventually you'll find something that engulfs you, making it impossible to leave it alone, impossible to sleep because it's constantly nagging at you to get working on it and then you'll be the writer you always wanted to be. Then you'll believe me when I said it's not all it's cracked up to be...

I wish three things for you once you become that writer you want to be:

Be dedicated, be sincere and be optimistic.

After all, if you judge your own success by other people's achievements, you'll either be selling yourself short or constantly disappointed. I'm NOT saying don't hope for the day when you can give up your job and make a living from writing (Steemit.com has seen to that) but don't become despondent when you're not a millionaire by a week next Thursday.

Neither should you compare yourself to your eight-year-old cousin who writes stories too.

Once you've written your piece, you've read it through time after time, do your book/manuscript/screenplay a favour and get it edited.

Happy Writing!

Images from Pixabay