Am I an Author? Debunking 3 Myths and Declaring 10 Motivational Truths To Prove That You Are

Am I an Author? Debunking 3 Myths and Declaring 10 Motivational Truths To Prove That You Are

I write a blog I am an author. 

Ever struggle to say those words? I remember feeling like I was illegitimate, “a fake,” if I called myself an author before I was traditionally published. 

There is a stigma for aspiring writers as they struggle to establish themselves in their writing. Let’s squash some of those myths, shall we?

Myth #1: You are an author only if you have been traditionally published.

Wrong answer. 

The dictionary online defines an “author” as “the author of (a book or piece of writing),”

“a person who has written something; a person who starts or creates something (such as a plan or idea).”

You are an author the moment you begin to conceive of creating through the medium of writing.

Myth #2: You are an author only if you have a bestseller.

Right after you call yourself an author, someone wants to know if you have had a bestseller because otherwise you are not a real author.

Our Creator God made us to create and be the authors of what He places in our hearts. He did not tell us we have to make our creations famous or that they have to be published in order to be authentic. He just told us to go and create — for His glory.

Myth #3: You are an author only if you get a lot of “likes” or engagement on social media.

Sticking out your first musings in the public eye can be a moment of trepidation. If the social media algorithm is in your favor, some people might actually see your post and “like” it. But if not … you can be plagued with feelings of insignificance as a writer.

But an audience never defined you as an author (or a writer) in the first place. Your heart did. 

Instinctively you knew you just had to write. This is what makes you an author — not how many books you have published or how many “followers” you have. 

Whenever you are doubting your calling as an author, remind yourself of these truths:

  1. An audience does not define your status as an author. 
  2. Success or failure does not make you an author. You already are.
  3. Do you write a blog? You are an author. 
  4. Do you write for your church newsletter or contribute articles anywhere? You are an author.
  5. Do you write books? You are an author, whether or not your book is ever published.
  6. Do you think of ideas, and then try to find a way to write them down? You are an author.
  7. Do you long to pass along to others what God has shared with you? You are an author.
  8. You are an author of what you create, whether or not you make a living by it.
  9. You are an author when you rise early or stay up late, driven to write just a “few more words,” and look up to discover it is a few hours later.
  10. You are an author when you crave and hunt for time to write.

Don’t let semantics trouble you. Writer. Author. Creator. Do not overthink the title of author. Just write. You never started writing for the title anyway, I hope. 

Write on!

All for Jesus,

Denise Pass

How do you navigate feelings of imposter syndrome in your calling as an author?

Share

Biblical-mindset coach, author, speaker, worship leader, podcaster, with an M.A. in biblical exposition, Denise is the author of Make Up Your Mind, Shame Off You, 31 Days of Hope Reinvented, and other discipleship books. She serves on the writing team for Proverbs 31 Ministries’ First 5 app and COMPEL and has a daily broadcast/podcast through her Bible Tribe® reading plan. Denise home-schooled her five children; four recently graduated from college, and her youngest adoptive son is a senior in high school. She is the Family Ministries and Worship Arts Director at her church. Denise and her husband live near Fredericksburg, VA.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

  1. Debbie Rissinger: May 15, 2022 at 7:42 pm

    Thank you. My writing has come to a screaching halt, I’m stuck. But this lends a feeling of hope and possibility.

  2. Solymar Figueroa: May 11, 2022 at 9:50 am

    Thank you very much. I am so grateful to them for driving us, encouraging us with so much love and passion.

  3. Such beautiful words of truth. Thank you for writing this!