One of the Greatest Mysteries in Life

WHAT IS A WRITER?

Among other questions like, is there a God? How do you know this is not a parallel universe? Are you dreaming right now? Are we capable of time travel? We find the conundrum of what is a writer?

These questions provoke deep soul searching moments of examination, not just of yourself but also the world around you.

Firstly let's answer the question - What is a writer? Probably the most simplistic answer is - Someone who writes. But does that answer suffice? Is that enough to qualify the term - Writer?

Misrepresentation of the term writer is found in the analogy - A writer is someone whose work has been published; a writer is an Author. But can this be trusted as correct? Not necessarily.

I know people who write but have not published their work, and not so long ago in the literary world the powers that be dismissed the written word of women and people of colour. Does that not make them writers?

So, what is the answer? What is a writer?

Let's break it down.

Writers are thinkers, philosophical yet creative and have a responsiveness to the world. Let me explain - a common underlying thread writers have is the way they operate on a daily basis. They immerse themselves in each activity whilst simultaneously processing the experience into potential material to write about.

An example of this would be when something happens in your day that either upsets you or makes you laugh. A statement in conversation whilst sipping coffee in a cafe, the idiosyncrasies of friends or family or whatever triggers a connection to your ideas at that precise moment. All of these and more prove what a writer is.

Writers are not just people who write they are people who imagine, create and 'write' even when they are not near a computer, or don't have a notepad handy. Writers 'write' in their minds before they sleep, during a train trip or in the bathroom. Yes, it's true! Some of the best ideas come when you are in 'there'. Someone who writes understands writing in terms of something 'she' does, not in terms of something 'she' is. Writing is not a label.