A sustainable writing life is built from more than the construction of sentences and paragraphs; it emerges from the slow accumulation of days and years lived intentionally through the habits of
the writer.
—Kroeker and Craig, On Being a Writer
My Story
It isn’t clear to me when I first began to consider myself a writer. But somewhere along the line, I passed from saying (apologetically) that “I do a little writing” to saying (comfortably) “I’m a writer.” I’m not sure when the recognition that I needed to be intentional about making time to write (and to read) came, but somewhere along the line, it did, and I now include both in the priority scheme of my calendar. And I couldn’t tell you when the value of connecting with other writers, or wanting to find places to publish my work, or understanding the usefulness of not writing at times ever first happened. But they did. And today I am a writer who makes time to write, and to read, who enjoys the company of other writers, and who from time to time steps away from the page. I find great satisfaction in my writing life, even as I continue to work to build it.
The Question
Ann Kroeker and Charity Singleton Craig open their book, On Being a Writer, with the simple question: Is your writing life all it can be? It’s a good question for a writer to ask, whether he is new to the writing world or has been writing for many years. Because “all it can be” (and all a writer wants it to be) is something that can change from year to year and season to season.
The Promise
We say about this book that it can act as your “personal coach, to explore the writing life you already have and the writing life you wish for, and close the gap between the two.” The book offers tools to help a writer develop practices and habits that help a writer cultivate a sustainable and satisfying writing life.
Tell Us Your Story
Are you using On Being a Writer yet, to enrich your writing life? If not, maybe you are working through the 5 Simple Action Prompt Mini-Series. Either way, you’re invited to share with us about your On Being a Writer experiences, chapter-by-chapter or prompt-by-prompt. We look forward to hearing about the writing life that’s uniquely yours!
Read Top 10 Quotes from On Being a Writer
Enjoy Top 10 Sightings of On Being a Writer in the Wild
Cover photo by Claire Burge. Used with permission. Post by LW Lindquist.
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L. L. Barkat says
I look forward to this 🙂
I’m not sure I call myself a writer. I write. I can write. I have written. But a writer seems to have writing dreams, and I don’t have these (anymore). Now, talk to me about publishing dreams, and we can spend a whole afternoon.
Will Willingham says
Interesting, because I don’t feel like I have particular writing dreams either, at least not in any grand sense. But because I do the work, I do consider myself a writer. 🙂
Sandra Heska King says
Me: I’m a writer.
Them: What do you write?
Me: Ummm… mumble, mumble…
Will Willingham says
Hmm. You need to enunciate more. 😉
Megan Willome says
This is a book I really look forward to discussing. It’s been a year since I read it, so it will be interesting to see how I read it differently a year later.
Will Willingham says
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, especially in terms of what you might see differently after a year. 🙂
Donna says
I’m IN! I am SO IN!
Patricia @ Pollywog Creek says
I’m in, too! Yeah!
Will Willingham says
Hi Terri,
So glad you’ll be joining us. 🙂 All you’d need to do is either purchase the book or download the excerpt from Noisetrade (it’s go the three chapters we’ll be doing together) in order to read along and do any of the exercises in the chapters. I’ll have a new post up on Wednesday to get the conversation started, so you’ll want to look for that, and we’ll have some good discussion in the comment box.
Looking forward. 🙂
Will
Tammy L Breitweiser says
I love this book! I have been following Ann for awhile but am looking forward to discussing the book with other writers.
I am currently making some changes in my life more inline with writing. It is an exciting time!