What Kind of Writer Do You Want to Be?

 

What kind of writer do you want to be?

 

When many writers first start writing, they really don’t think about that. They just think about what they want to write and how to write it. That’s fine; that’s how it should be.

 

But as some writers move through the motions of writing, working writing gigs, applying for jobs as a writer and getting published, they may get to a point where they take a good long hard look at their work and at their writing abilities. They may decide to be only one kind of writer or the kind of writer who can write a variety of things – and do it well.

 

The truth is, there’s no rule on what kind of writer a person can be. You can be any kind of writer you want. You don’t have to be known as a writer of only one kind of writing.

 

For some writers, a set of writing skills may be the very thing they can use to get published (freelance writing, fiction writing, poetry). For others, they may have a diverse set of writing skills they can use in a professional capacity.

 

But for yet another group of writers, they may just be chugging along, trying their hand at this kind of writing or that kind of writing to see which one takes.

 

It can take a long time to figure out what kind of writer you want to be. It can also happen right at the very beginning of your writing career, or it can happen several years after you first start writing. Keep in mind, however, that your decision can change later on. When I made the leap to write professionally, I thought I would only want to be a journalist. But then I started freelancing and I kinda liked being a freelance writer as well. So I was no longer “only a journalist” but a freelance writer too. (My debut novel didn’t exactly take off, so I did not put too much energy into being a novelist.)

 

Of course, writers are creative enough to be able to write all kinds of things, but for other writers, they may prefer to be known as one kind of writer: Romance novelist, freelance writer, copywriter, etc. This is usually the field of writing which they have found success with.

 

Personally, I don't want to be known as a writer of only one thing. I don't only write paranormal novels; I also have a horror novel and a romantic suspense novel. I also plan to submit another horror novel, a YA fantasy series and a sci-fi story collection. I also write articles, poems, essays and short stories. I am currently learning how to write scripts. I call myself a "writer of all trades" and I've got no problem with that label. 

What kind of writer you want to be is entirely up to you. If you only want to write books, that’s fine. You can also write books alongside working as a journalist. You can be a ghostwriter, freelance writer and author all at the same time. 

 

The thing you need to do in order to figure this out is to try your hand at everything. On the other hand, if you prefer to do only one kind of writing, then go for it. But if you feel compelled to see if you can also find success as a freelance writer or copywriter, then give those things a try, too. Just make sure your professional status as a writer is your first priority.

 

Most writers these days have managed to eke out a career as a writer of many things: Novels, scripts, short stories and articles. You can do this, too. You don’t have to write only one thing. If you want to write other things, then do so. Try it out and see if it’s something you can do. Don’t limit your creativity; allow it to expand and dabble in other skills. See where it takes you. You just might find another writing skill you are actually really good at.