POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

I Want To Be

By Nandy Ekle

When I grow up, I want to be a teacher. I want to be a nurse. I want to be a ballerina. I want to be an astronaut. I want to be a policeman. I want to be a mommy. I want to be a singer, an actor, president, race car driver . . .

I want to be a writer. I have heard this one a lot lately. You want to be a writer. You gluttonously gobble up other writers’ stories. You add millions of words to your vocabulary. You learn spelling, grammar and punctuation. You take literature and psychology classes. You take every writing class that teaches any kind of reading and writing you can get into. And all the while, your mantra is, “I want to be a writer.”

So you begin to think in terms of plots and you meet characters. You take photos of settings and think of interesting situations and horrible things to put your characters through. You put your words on paper and build stories that you’re convinced would make Oscar-winning movies. You join critique groups and writing groups and nurture your platform and fan base.

The only thing you need to do now is stop trying to be a writer.

A very talented and successful writer once said, “Writers write.” Stop wanting to be a writer and just write.

Here’s a perfect first step. Get a chair from your dining room and place it in your front yard. Climb up and stand on the chair. Raise your face to the sky and shout, “ I AM A WRITER.”

Now, go back in your house, open your computer and write your story.

Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.