How do I become a writer?

The launch of this new site is so exciting for me. It’s going to be the first website I’ve found that devotes itself entirely to writers who help writers. The fact that I’ve been offered the opportunity to contribute to this endeavor is an absolute honor for me and isn’t something I take lightly. Since we’re kicking this site off today, I thought we’d start with the answer to your very first and probably most important question: How do I become a writer?

As a writer, one of my favorite annual events (and trust me when I tell you it’s an event) is NaNoWriMo. From 12:01am on November 1st until midnight on November 30th, writers all over the globe are in an all-out sleep-losing, caffeine-addicting, nail-biting, blood pressure-raising, headache-inducing, flying, leaping, computer-crashing tear-producing race against failure, sanity, and obscurity. It is in that period of time that you are challenged to write a 50,000 word (or 175 page) novel (or “towards” a novel).  It is because of this event that hundreds of thousands of writers all over the planet have managed to actually write the novel we told people we’d write “someday”. We wear the bandages, calluses, sunglasses.

I am passionate about NaNo the way I’m passionate about the characters in my novel. It’s the one truly selfish thing I do all year. Some people buy themselves something nice every year. I know people who get their hair and nails done regularly, and still others get massages. There are as many ways to “splurge” as there are humans. I think I can truly say that if I had to get rid of all my “guilty pleasures” except for one, I’d pick NaNo as my one and only splurge. 

For me, the fact that I don’t have to do anything but participate is the best part. All NaNo really asks is that you keep an open mind, devote some time, and marvel at what you produce. No money is required. It’s not “invitation only”. There aren’t any lines to wait in, rude customer service people, tickets, charges, taxes, fees, penalties…you get the picture – it’s free. You don’t even have to register to participate! If you want your badge and certificate in acknowledgement of your accomplishment at the end of the month, though, you must complete the simple, quick, and free registration process. 

Because this event is aimed specifically and directly at writers, I’m going to make it my subject from now until November. I’ll profile some past “winners”, interview some of my fellow NaNo Novelists who’ve had their novel published, grill some of the folks who work behind the screen to bring us this marathon every year, and I hope to have some input from writers who are NaNo Virgins planning to participate for the first time this year. 

Well, that’s all I’ve got for now! Have a beau — Oh, that’s right…you wanted to know how you become a writer. I’ll let you in on the biggest secret this site holds: If you can write, if you dare to write, if you feel you positively must write…then, my dear, you’re a writer.

On behalf of everyone at Fuel… Welcome home, writer.