10 Biggest Secrets About Writers

There is a lot about the writing mind that people find to be a mystery, like where their inspiration comes from, how do they always know what words to use, are they satisfied with their creations, and what schools they attend to become so creative. Well honestly, here are some secrets about writers that may shed some light on these mysteries.

1. The Writer’s Muse.

Many writers seem to come up with some crazy ideas, though much comes from their own imagination, a lot of them seek muses to help with their juices. Many find a stand in character in a book, or movie to give them ideas for a back story. Some can go for a peaceful walk in a wooded area and find the way the light shines through the trees onto a creek enough inspiration to write about a medallion found at the bottom of the creek that grants a knowledge unlike any they have encountered. Inspiration to us is everywhere, which is why we are alert and constantly asking why.

2. Knowing all the right things to say.

Some of us are a walking thesaurus, and others actually walk around with a thesaurus. But it isn’t always what words we use, but the use of the words in the right place. Truth is, many writers struggle with getting that right word in the right place, we do have to do a lot of research and reference checking just to make sure we are using our skills to the fullest.

3. Most writer’s are insecure with their work.

Whether it is a short story, book report, novel, or a simple rewrite, many writer’s find themselves unsatisfied. I have met many authors who were negative about their own publications, the very same publications that have won awards and sold out. It isn’t a negative outlook that brings this insecurity, however an inner need to express fully on paper what we see or feel in our hearts. We strive to do better because we want to find the perfect description of our image.

4. The most common school for writer’s to attend is completely mental.

There are several prestigious academic opportunities for a writer to attend, many focus on proper structure and language arts. All of them hone your skills and teach you how to be more precise with your wording, and they also give you the language arts history to put under your belt. But the two things a school could never teach is heart and creativity. They can improve those skills, but a lot of big name writer’s didn’t go to higher academic colleges because they believe they could actually take away from the natural ability they already have.

5. Shaking our money makers.

Many believe that writing pays the bills as we sit on our tails and relax, to be honest we are mostly stressed out trying to work two jobs just to make rent and eat a little at the end of the day. The term ‘starving artist’ constantly kicks us in the back end, because we pour our hearts into our work just to make a portion of what we deserve. But we do what we love, and that is why through the stress, we stay happy.

6. Practice makes perfect.

Every writer has an editor, be it another writer or a hired one. Whether it is for a short story or novel, an article or review, we have someone who checks our work because we make errors as well. Especially when we sit in front of our work all day long and have deadlines. There is no shame to double checking, but no one is a perfect writer.

7. The unseen work.

Not everything we write is released to the public. A lot of our work, if not a majority of it, sits on shelves, in files, hidden on flash drives, or in a notebook somewhere for a multitude of reasons. We all have a passionate piece we have written, but don’t share because of how we feel we would be viewed on it. Much of our work is rejected because it does not meet certain criteria, and then there is the simple edits or unfinished life’s work that we never get around to or just can’t bring ourselves to finish.

8. The social life of a creative mind.

Many writers, painters, musicians, and other artists have no social life. We are constantly working, trying to improve, researching, and let’s face it, day dreaming. We don’t get out much because it is a constant run around to keep producing unique material to satisfy personal, or professional needs.

9. Writer’s block!

There is not one writer who has not suffered from writer’s block, and the only found secret to curing it is to simply, step away. It is stressful, painful, depressing, and career ending if a writer cannot find themselves a way around it. It is a feared inevitability.

10. Never Enough

Nothing is ever done in our minds, the story never ends and the article is never finished explaining the point. We could go on forever, but it would never satisfy our urge to keep it alive. We strive on a good story, that is why we make sequels.