I Didn't Choose Writing, it Chose Me!

Quite truthfully, I don't believe anyone becomes a writer...they just are. Being able to write, as in articles, poetry, short stories or even full length novels is a talent. It falls right in there with painting beautiful pictures, or playing and composing music. It all starts with the talent and passion to make a career of it.

I haven't been a professional writer for very long, but I could always write and I loved to do it. Many of you will know what I mean by this. The talent and desire has to be there to be able to make a career of something, no matter what you choose. To be a singing sensation, you have to be able to sing. To be a ballerina, you have to be able to dance.

I excelled in English all through school. I loved writing the book reports, the essays and the assigned poetry. I even used to write short stories in a 3 ring binder that my friends would pass around in study hall. My English teacher was so impressed with my work that she used them as examples. That was so embarrassing to a teenaged girl striving to be cool!

She did encourage me though and told me she would one day see my name in print. It dawned on me that I did want to be an author. I wanted to write great fiction novels just like Victoria Holt, who was my favorite author at the time.

I met this wonderful guy, fell in love and got married. All I wanted then was to raise a family, so the writing stopped, accept for the occasional poem written to a family member. Two very active little boys take up a lot of time, and I was content just being a Mom, and working on school projects with them.

After my boys got older, I did take a few college courses in writing. I found the old writing bug coming back with a vengeance. Again, I was making A's on my papers and the teacher was encouraging me to keep writing. So, I queried a few local newspapers. I started by covering local village board meetings. Not exciting by any means, but I was now a paid writer.

The editors at the papers apparently liked my work and began calling me to write some local interest stories. I was thrilled to see the first one appear on the front page. I called the editor to express my thanks. He said, "No need for thanks, you deserved the front page." Boy was I excited.

I even landed a job, even though it was with a friend, as an Associate Editor/Writer/Photographer with an International magazine. My husband and I did a lot of traveling and had a lot of fun doing something I loved. Readers seemed to like my writing style, and I loved what I was doing.

To make this an article, instead of a novel, I will quickly jump to saying, after awhile I had health issues that would no longer allow me to travel, so I turned to the web for some freelance work. That is where the learning comes in. You can learn to change your writing style to adapt to different formats. You can learn SEO and key wording by studying articles and other writer's styles.

I believe, though, that you must first have the talent and passion for whatever career you choose. Just like an accountant must have a love of numbers to be successful, so must a writer have a love of words. What you do with your love of words will determine if you make a career of writing or not.

I can learn the difference between web and print writing; I can learn to write in different formats and styles. But what I cannot be taught is the love and passion of setting at my keyboard and producing words for you all to read. That, I believe, is a talent you are born with. Writing chose me, and then I chose to make a career out of it.

Even though I am no Victoria Holt, I am still a writer and am now making a career of it. Being able to write is just a stepping stone to a chosen career. Writing gives you the foundation to take your career in many directions. My chosen career has led me to the web, and I have found my niche in the freelance world. I choose what I write and when I write.

Others may take their writing talent in a totally different direction. That's okay, because that is really how you find your chosen career. Start with a talent, a passion or a desire and then see where it takes you. Then you will be able to choose the perfect career.