How to be a writer

 I have been thinking lately about what makes a great writer. I follow several children's writers on various platforms and it struck me. We all have such lovely sparkling images of ourselves that we put out there. Pictures of smiling creatives. We write children's books. We are the writers that build worlds that children drift to sleep exploring. Where animals have tea and discuss the daily rumpus. But we are still writers.  

Yesterday I lost a contest. Charlie held up her fist and said, “Repeat after me! I am brilliant! I am a GREAT writer. Now tell me what you are writing this minute. Go.” Clearly, she is also a writer. But I wasn’t that shook about this loss. I have thrown myself in front of failure so many times now that the sting is comforting. 


So, if you are wondering how to become a writer, here is my personal recipe. Fail. Be the underdog. Embrace the deep sense of awkwardness you feel in all situations. Know that things around you will forever be slightly “off.” You will not win, if you did you would have nothing to write about. The story would be boring. 


The more you skin your knee, the better writer you will be. How’s that for a fucking children’s writer?

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