The highlight of the day for me had been at the very beginning, where we went around the table introducing ourselves. Everybody described themselves as a writer - and that was exciting enough - but more significantly, nobody seemed apologetic for describing themselves in that way.
I think of myself as a writer, and I would love to do more writing, and to earn a living by writing, but to describe myself as a writer is something I shy away from. The title seems presumptuous, possibly even slightly boastful. Nobody likes a show-off, so I've kept my love of writing and my plans for my writing hidden for many years.
But now, I don't really understand why I've been so squeamish about calling myself a writer. What the first day of Mapping the Change showed me was that I write already. I am a writer right now! This autumn, on the course, I'm going to learn some new skills, get to know some other writers, and then try and earn a living from my writing. It seems perfectly possible now.
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| Typists - from George Eastman House on Flickr |
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