Thursday, February 28, 2008

If you write, you are a writer.

Sorry to keep banging on about writing lately, but I have received some more good advice that I would like to pass on to you, from a long-time American friend.

She wrote: “As a writer, one of the first things I learned was..."if I write, I am a writer." Say this every day. You do not have to be published to be a writer. Every time you write anything, you get better skills and learn more. “

So in what I expect to be my last current item on writing for now, I would just like to encourage everyone with my friend’s wise words. Not just with writing but also with whatever it is that you do. If you are doing something, then that is what you are. You may not yet be the best at it.

You may never be the best at it, but if that is what you are doing then that is what you are.

If you don’t like your current title then you might have to change jobs or profession, but if that is what you do, than that is what you are.
I remember an old Joke that asks, “What do you call a final year Medical Student who gets 51% in their final Exam?” And the Answer is, “Dr!” Now someone might write in and say that you actually need a higher percentage than that to actually become a Dr. But the point is that even if you just make the minimum requirement, you have still qualified. Now I’m not saying that I would necessarily be fighting for the right to be your first patient, but I hope you get my point.

So if you are doing something, then you are that something, but also remember my friend’s final point. Each time you do that task, your skills and your efficiency and your confidence will increase.

So if you are doing something that you like but you have not fully mastered yet, don’t give up, or get discouraged, but keep going and get more experience and practise as you go. That’s my friend and my opinion, what’s yours? Walter.

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