Photo: Words from Southernpixel Alby.

Do we learn to become a writer, or is it it something that comes naturally? Do we possess some internal genius, or do we need various qualifications to prove our worth? I have read numerous books on writing and no one has the miracle answer or formula that would ensure our success. So where does that leave us?

Well firstly, I believe that to write a novel, a writer needs a vivid imagination, somewhere for the first flame of     the story begins to flicker. We then need the ability to blow gently on the flame to ignite the story into some form of outline. The stage of the roaring fire fleshes out the characters and layers the plot line with enough  sub-plots to interest and hook the reader. The embers that remain fuel our imagination to move onto the next novel.

We also need the tenacity to complete a novel, as there can be mid-story slumps and blocks in our minds that interrupt our creative flow. Periods of anxiety, where we feel our writing is inadequate, can often assault our confidence, and yet we push through and persist in our quest to produce  novel.

Being a writer also implies that we observe life and preserve the things we see, hear, taste, touch and smell, in order to relay them to the reader via our fictional world. We become wordsmiths of the universe. We dilute our machinations into novels of all genres, in the hope of entertaining readers of every age.

As a writer, we need to be avid readers. We need to immerse ourselves in the written word of others to see ho the words shape well together, or not, as the case may be.

Being a writer doesn’t come with bells and whistles attached (as I thought would happen when my publishing contract came through!). It’s a quiet unassuming role which is nurtured within us, growing in us like a blastocyst which eventually develops into a baby.

The other day, a man repairing our satellite asked me what I did, and I said I was a writer. He looked surprised and wanted to know more. I found myself feeling rather shy about handing him a business card, but my publisher would be proud! Apart from making myself know on the web, I need to get myself known locally, as local writers can often spark an interest in the community. So don’t be shy folks, be proud!
The engineer asked me to mention him on my blog, so for those of you in the south east of England, if you need a telephone, fault finding, broadband issues or Internet cabling, check out Tom Hailes, Telephone engineer at http://www.thcontracts.co.uk

Happy Word Flow One & All.