Five Common Misconceptions About Writing

As long as there have been writers, there has been misconceptions about them, and what they do. Things like every writer is supposed to have written a book, all authors are famous, etc.. Most of them aren’t true, but a lot of people believe them anyways. Because of that, here are (in my
 humble opinion) the top ten misconceptions about writers.

#5–All Good Writers Should Be Famous

Actually, not all good writers are famous, just like not all good actors are famous. There are a great many writers that are top notch in their craft, they are just not well known yet. Some writers don’t market enough, some don’t write enough, or simply want to remain anonymous. Still others are ghostwriters, who make their living writing under another persons name. There is no rule that says that writers have to be well known.

#4–You Are Not A True Writer Until You Have Published A Book

Some writers will never publish a book. There I said it, someone had to. There are many types of writers out in the world today. Some do write bestsellers, self help, humor, fitness, and all other types of books. However some writers only write for the internet or blogs, some for magazines and newspapers. Others are copywriters and write ads, brochures, websites, and such. Any number of these writers might decide to publish a book later, but the fact that they have not published does not make them any less a writer.

#3. The Writing Life Is A Glamorous One

Ahh, I can hear a lot of writers chuckling at the previous sentence. Some writers do have glamorous sounding jobs, live in exciting cities, and write mesmerizing stories of their fascinating daily lives a la’ Carrie Bradshaw. For others, as is more often the case, writers would not describe their life as glamorous, although it is definitely a worthwhile way to make a living.

Most good writers are assigned a job or story, then spend hours at a computer or on the phone researching the topic, making sure to get their fact straight. Next they will spend quite a while writing the story or article, and finally they will submit it to be published. If the editor
 accepts the first submission, hurray. Otherwise there will be a few things the writer will need to rewrite, before he submits it again. Then after the piece or story is published, the writer waits to be paid. Exciting and alluring isn’t it? (If you said yes, then you truly are a writer).

#2. Writing Is Not Really A Job

Many writers work from a home office, which explains this misconception. Some people believe that if you work at home, you aren’t really working. The same is thought of writers. “So all you do is sit home and write” is a sentence that I am sure many writers have heard more than once. As with all work at home business people, writers are busy even when they are at home. Hopefully misconception number three explained why this is true.

#1. Anybody Can Be A Writer

While anyone can write, not everyone is cut out to be a writer. Writers must have a good sense of language, know what will be interesting to a reader, be able to present even the most mundane fact as a tantalizing piece, and oh yeah, they also must love to write. Just as any other job can be boring at times, writing can often be monotonous, especially if the writer writes about one topic day in and day out. It takes a special kind of person to be a writer, hardworking, factual, part story teller and part teacher. No, not just anyone has all those qualities and then some.

It is this writer’s hope that this list will somehow help dismiss some of the false impressions that people may have about writers, and their lives. Writing has long been considered a noble profession and rightly so, because if there were no writers, valuable lessons, stories, and connections would be lost. So write on, writer friends, write on.