I Am A Writer?

Credit

“I am participating in the ‘Writing Contest: You Are A Writer’ held by Positive Writer.” - See more at: http://positivewriter.com/writing-contest-you-are-a-writer/#sthash.tA6eLnXe.dpuf

This post is part of the 'Writing Contest: You Are A Writer.' Visit Positive Writer if you're interested in participating. Special thanks to Renia at The Development of Taste for informing me of the contest. 

“I am participating in the ‘Writing Contest: You Are A Writer’ held by Positive Writer.” - See more at: http://positivewriter.com/writing-contest-you-are-a-writer/#sthash.tA6eLnXe.dpuf

“I am participating in the ‘Writing Contest: You Are A Writer’ held by Positive Writer.” - See more at: http://positivewriter.com/writing-contest-you-are-a-writer/#sthash.tA6eLnXe.dpuf

So many people know of an exact moment in time when they knew they were a writer. That is not the case for me. But I do know writing has always been a part of my life. In school all subjects in English class came easy to me, including writing.

At an early age I asked for a locked diary for Christmas and though I wasn’t necessarily good at writing in it everyday somewhere deep in me I knew that what I did write mattered. When I was old enough to start journaling I wrote down everything. Poetry wracked with emotions I couldn’t express elsewhere. A processing of the day’s events. Arguments with my parents.

Writing also helped me communicate with God. On the pages of my journal I worked out my faith. And for whatever reason I was convinced he listened or read what I had to say.

At some point over the last few years my journaling slowed and I went months without writing anything more than an email or business document. In a difficult season of life I left my journal closed (when I needed it most) and something within me began to fade.

Then in October of 2010 I started this blog on the same day I would begin a 31-day writing challenge. I felt crazy. And it was hard. Like most things, writing when not practiced, gets rusty. For the better part of the next year I wrote and published posts that I knew were subpar. Sure I crafted a gem here and there but most of the time I felt like a failure.

What I did learn during that season was the value of just writing something. Anything. And pushing “post.” That discipline forced me to hone my craft and daringly post things that were less than perfect in the interest of posting something.

And then sometime last year in between Fall and Winter I hit my stride. I found that writing wasn’t as hard anymore. And if I would grant each post just a little bit of time I could usually create something meaningful.

Now I look ahead to the rest of 2013 with great dreams for my writing. And while I can’t pinpoint a moment in time that I knew I was a writer, I am slowly getting brave enough to say those incredibly scary words:

“Hi, my name is Joy, and I am a writer.”