Rochelle Blaak, OP Contributor

For years I considered myself a true writer, right down to my very soul. Writing is not just scripting words or stringing sentences together to
sound good. It’s not just creating a good story, or a means of getting attention. For me, it comes down to my personality; what makes me tick,
my obsessions and habits, good and bad, especially the bad. I was comforted by the fact that these traits have been observed in many othet
writers. These reflections compelled me to compile a list of adjectives that describe a true writer. :

    
     
 

“T write for the same reason I breathe—because if I didn’t, I would die” -Ruth Rendell

  
      

  

included) is anxious, fearful, worri-
't know if this is the chicken or the ) aLcoholtic i
: Every writer I know (again, myself included) loves the lure of alcohol, or s¢

other form of substance abuse. Why? Again, re-read “Neurotic” and
“Obsessive” above. After each writing class, I find myself with my classmat
at the local watering hole, drowning ourselves in our favourites, mine be
and tonic with a twist of lime. We are to forget about our mundane Ii

     
 
 

 
  

 

 
 
 

 
 
       
    
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

you ate baring your
ia-obsessed world is.
for meaty material to apart.
on of writing is scary, not j just because
job instability, but what will result on
ings happen when you write; forgot-
whole new personality can emerge and
own lives. Your pen or computer key-
an entity that becomes a part of you.
one, perhaps enrage them, make

eep. What you think is great prose or
e, someone may mock, and make you

 
   
 
  
   
  

    
 
  
  
 

  
  
  

teacher in each type of writing on the fi
day of class confessed to the high rate o
alcoholism that accompanied their profe
sion. We all felt right at home.

“T work until beer o’clock” -Stephen

 

   
  
  
  
 

   
 

  

‘o having your photo taken. You are
ot physically but emotionally.” -

     

DD insecure
Being insecure could go with any profess:
but confidence is something that isn’t con
mon with writers. I think it’s because of t
honesty that needs to accompany writin
You must be honest with yourself and yor
audience. You can not lie or hide. This ho:
esty breeds i ey All confidence th:

 
  
  
  
  

  
   
  
    
 
  

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d-in-hand with neurotici
h day. You wash your hand:
envelope in the mail box,
make sure it has dropped.
for errors. Once you start
every detail and em-dash,
ber one rule for writing
s is very hard not to do. V
s complain, “too much de
voices go on and on, and
ays you can’t write to save
e several paragraphs, save i to the
tain line keeps popping up im your

and then a new word or adjective

h home, open the document, and know
it. You are awakened at night by the
ords to add, or delete, and your plot

s. You are all-consumed by this piece,
centrate on anything else until it is that
of prose the Governor General has

life. Revise, revise, revise, revise. Edit,
rm of obsessive-compulsive disorder is

 
 
 
 

   
 
 
 
 

  
 
   
 
 
 

 
   
 
     
  

  
  

  

shoot in eginning. Yet they keep plug-
ging away because they must write, they must
change the way the world thinks. They don’t
do it just to be successful or see their name in
print (well, maybe just a little).

“Tt took me fifteen years to discover I had no

    
    
 
 

  

talent for writing. But I couldn’t give it up

rite. It’s been that way with every because by that time I was too famous.” -

become completely consumed by a Aldous Huxley

y a desire to meet a challenge.” -Anne

 

3) PROCKASGINAGIVE
If we are all-consumed by writing, why do you come up ae ee cree : Sr ©) courageous
with so many crea Procrastinate? See You need a certain amount of nerve to be a writer. All the risk-taking, reyealing yourself

 

   

 

“Neutosi and keeping at it after so many rejection letters takes a lot of courage and persistence. A .
“Procrastination is the fear of success. )People procrasti- writer must never give up, and despite all the negative obstacles, the writer must never
nate because they are afraid of the success that they doubt his or herself. Positive affirmations go along way, restoring the unknown inner
know wiill result if they move ahead now. Beeause suc- strength each writer has.
cess is heavy, carries a responsibility with it, it is much “The act of writing is an act of optimism. You would not take the trouble to do it if
easiet to procrastinate and live on the ‘someday I'll’ phi- you felt that it didn’t matter.” -Angus Wilson 1 1

losophy.” -Denis Waitley

Nine RETR ao ee Maleate ~ eRe incNONCNE LPS TOR blac eed _ aU Soa