(and how to get others to take it seriously too)
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Take Your Writing Seriously (and how to get others to take it seriously too)
How many times have you said to yourself that you want “write a book” or “be a writer”? I’m guessing a lot, or you probably wouldn’t have landed on this page.
Taking your writing seriously gives you a feeling of credibility and helps beat back that “imposter syndrome” that is the bane of our existence. But what does it actually mean to “take your writing seriously” and how can you even do that, especially if you’ve not “proven yourself” yet (your mom’s words, not yours)?
What is a “Serious Writer”?
I think a lot of writers would consider themselves to be serious writers. They want to write, they do write—either consistently or inconsistently—but they write. They just can’t get others around them to see that they’re serious, even though they feel serious. But do they actually feel serious?
Probably the main reason the people around us don’t take our writing seriously is that we don’t. We might think we do. We might even tell them we’re serious about writing. But if our actions say differently, then the people around us will interpret it differently.
So first off, you need to define what you consider a serious writer to be. If you think that a serious writer is published or that they have an agent or have achieved X, Y, and Z…maybe you need to rethink that!
A serious writer is one who writes. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what they write, what their accolades are, how many books they have traditionally published, if any. A serious writer is one who writes…seriously!
Remember, though that other people may have different ideas of what a writer is (see examples above), but that’s none of your business. Don’t let someone tell you you’re not a writer just because you haven’t achieved their idea (or even your own idea) of what a person needs to have achieved before they call themselves a writer. If you write, you’re a writer. Period. End of story.
How can you show yourself and others that you’re serious about writing? Here are a few ways to consider and work on.
Take Yourself Seriously
If you are writing and you want to be a writer, call yourself a writer. A writer is someone who writes. A writer isn’t just someone who is traditionally published, or who is making a living wage from their writing. A writer is someone who writes. Own that moniker!
Watch What You Say About Your Writing
Do you get all self-deprecating when someone asks you what you write and tell them that you just write “silly stories” or “um, kind of, like scary stories”? Not owning what you’re writing can be due to a lot of things, like:
Imposter syndrome — Who am I to try to write literary fiction? or I’m not published or anything. I’m just writing for fun.
Embarrassment — I can’t tell my grandma I write erotica! or My spouse only reads historical nonfiction. I can’t tell her I’m writing kids’ picture books.
Changing what you’re saying about your writing, your self-talk, as well as how you speak to others, can both help you take your writing more seriously, but also get others on board.
Form the Habit of Writing
So does that mean, if you write a page or two every six months that you can call yourself a writer? Probably not. In order to really show that you’re serious about writing and being a writer, you need to do it with some consistency.
Writing every day is one way to help form a habit of writing. I love National Novel Writing Month for that idea alone. Even if participants don’t write 50,000 words by the end of the month, many will have formed a really great writing habit by the end of November.
I know, I know, you don’t have time to write every day. I one hundred percent get that! When I was a full-time working mom with young kids at home, I was bombarded with admonishments to “write every day” in order to be considered a writer. I could barely find time to shower twice a week, let alone find time to write every day. And I only worked five days a week at my full-time job, so why did I need to work seven days a week as a writer? I didn’t, and you don’t. But, if you want to be consistent, you need to work on creating a writing habit.
So what exactly does it take to form a habit of writing? Just some kind of consistency. Do you have time to write a paragraph every day? Can you find time to write every Saturday and Sunday morning for an hour? What “lost hours” can you reclaim for writing something, regardless of how much? Can you stop reading about writing and actually write? Can you give up an hour of TV a week, a few hours of scrolling TikTok or Insta each day, and write for a half hour on the notes app on your phone?
And before you tell me that a serious writer can’t write on their phone, think again. I’ve edited multiple books that the author wrote on their phone. The manuscripts inevitably need some tweaking to be put into the correct format, but they got the job done, they created a habit of writing with the tools they had available to them all the time. I would call them serious writers. They didn’t let location or lack of the “proper writing tools” to prevent them from doing what they loved.
Whatever you can do to put in the practice of writing will help you create a habit, which will make you feel more legit. Serious writers write. Maybe not every day. Maybe not full-time. But they write. Whatever they can, whenever they can, using whatever means necessary.
What To Do If People Still Don’t Take You Seriously
I do need to point out that you won’t always get the support you need or want, no matter how you begin to step into the writer role. Some people will just never understand. Others are secretly jealous (though they probably wouldn’t admit it) because they’ve always “wanted to write a book” but haven’t taken themselves seriously enough to do so. Still others probably started to write in the past only to decide they weren’t “good writers” before giving up.
Most of these people won’t be able to support you the way you need, simply because of their own underlying issues. It may be surprising to know that how people behave toward us is a lot less about us than it is about them and their own feelings (like imposter syndrome or embarrassment).
So, if you’re still not getting the support you need, you’re going to have to advocate for yourself and your writing by doing the following:
Set boundaries — Showing consistency with your writing will help others around you see that you’re serious! This might require setting some boundaries or negotiating time to write. Maybe all your coworkers want you to eat lunch with them every day, but you’ve decided that you want to eat in your car and write on your lunch hour (creating a habit, taking your writing seriously). This is a boundary you may have to enforce. If those you have to set boundaries with love and support you, you will likely be able to explain to them how important this is to you and get their understanding…even if they don’t like it.
Boundary setting doesn’t have to involve just other people either. You may need to set boundaries with yourself in order to get time to write. This might look like deleting all the social media apps on your phone and putting a notes app right on your home screen so that, every time you open your phone, you see the notes app and are reminded that, instead of scrolling mindless TikTok videos, you’re going to write for the next thirty minutes.
Keep writing — Depending on the trajectory you take with your writing (indie or traditional), you may face different obstacles over time. If you go the traditional route, you may be stuck in the submission process for years. If you go the indie route, you might have a book out there in the world, but you might face difficulties with finding the time to market your book or suffer some bad reviews. Regardless…keep writing. Remember: You’re serious about your writing, and you want others to take you seriously too. Serious people don’t give up. Athletes who don’t do their best in a race don’t stop racing. And we consider them serious athletes because of it.
Surround yourself with supportive people — Just because those closest to you don’t know how to take your writing seriously and give you the support you need, there are others who can fill those roles. Join a writers’ group or a critique group. Many of these types of groups are available online, if you’re not able to join an in-person group. As you get to know other writers and see how they take themselves seriously, you’ll grow stronger in your own resolve and the opinions of those in your personal sphere will take a back seat.
In summary, taking yourself seriously must come first. Writers write. If you choose to be a writer, then create the writing habit, set boundaries for yourself and others, and keep writing.
Work with me!
Whether preparing to self-publish or to start the submission process, I’m here to help! You can Request a Quote today. If I think we might be a good fit, I’ll provide a 3- to 5-page sample edit of your manuscript to show you what I can do for you!