I Am Not An Author- And Other Lies

I am not an author.

But I have written a book.

I am not an author.

But I have written several books.

I am not an author.

Because I am not published.

I’m sorry- but if you’ve told yourself these things, it’s a load of crap.

You have written, and therefore you are a writer. You have written your book, and therefore you are an author.

The thing about publishing is- it’s difficult. There is a guardian upon the first planks of the bridge, and you must answer her riddles in order to proceed. The problem is, the riddles are ridiculously difficult, and subjective, and downright tedious.

So if you haven’t been published yet in the traditional way- congratulations. That makes most of us. Many, many, many incredible works are passed by, sunken into the depths of the computers, or notebooks, or filing cabinets, because the author, yes, I said it, author, has become utterly burnt out by trying to solve the guardian’s riddles on the bridge to becoming published.

I am right there with you. I have received requests for my latest manuscript, but I have yet to find an agent that feels my book is the perfect fit. Getting an agent, getting published, is an utterly exhausting feat, and many of us want to quit after a handful of rejections, hang up the pen, and toss away the keyboard.

But you are an AUTHOR, dammit. And whether or not your words are claimed through the heavy undertaking that is traditional publishing, you are an author. You have written your words, compiled your worlds, and created a book.

You are an author.

I am on manuscript number three, and I have absolutely no doubt that my books will one day see the bookshelves, and you should have that same attitude.

You are an author, and you will feel the pull to the paper until you have achieved what you set out towards; being published.

And even if you don’t; even if you feel as though this tiring endeavor is a back-breaking, soul-crushing journey, and you feel as though you must take another bridge in life, it doesn’t matter.

You have written, and therefore you are a writer.

You have written, and you are an author.