I Want to Be A Writer: What One Compel Member Wants You to Know

I Want to Be A Writer: What One Compel Member Wants You to Know, by Isabel Tom

COMPEL Training registration is open! If you love writing, feel God has a placed a publishing dream in your heart, or if you sometimes have a hard time calling yourself a writer because you feel you need more training or experience, what better time to join COMPEL than the start of a brand new year! Registration closes this Friday, January 10th, and will not re-open until the spring, so don’t delay!

For a little inspiration in making this decision to invest in your calling to write, today we have a guest post from a valued COMPEL member, Isabel Tom, who shares what COMPEL has done for her and her publishing journey (which includes a published book this year!).

Read Isabel’s encouragement, then click on the button at the bottom of this post for more information about how you can join the COMPEL family.

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Admitting you’re a writer takes guts. Two years ago before I landed my first book contract, I would never have called myself a full-fledged writer. Yes, I was trying to be a writer, but I wasn’t a writer, at least not yet.

Then in 2018 at the She Speaks conference, I attended a luncheon for COMPEL members where I was given a memento. It was a beautiful glass mug with one word imprinted on it: Writer.

Me? A writer? It seemed too bold of a statement for a small-time blogger like myself. After the conference, I remembering staring at the mug when the thought dawned on me: maybe I was a writer.

What makes a “real” writer?

All too often, we don’t feel qualified to call ourselves writers. We think we need to be paid for our writing. We think we need to published. At the least, we need a considerable following.

Here’s something I’ve learned—being a writer is actually much easier than we make it out to be. It’s not something reserved for the intellectual, the eloquent, or the elite.

To be a “real” writer, all we must do is engage in the act of writing.

Do you want to a writer? Then don’t settle for dreaming, wishing, or wondering if you could be one. Sit down, grab a pen or your laptop and write, write, write.

How to take it the next level:

All of us want to write words that move people. To take our writing to the next level, we need to invest in our craft. Attending writer’s conferences, joining critique groups, and finding a mentor are some ways to hone our skills. Another great way is to join a group like COMPEL. When I joined COMPEL, I gained a toolbox full of valuable support:

Motivation:  Writers don’t always feel like writing. When I joined COMPEL, I learned new tips and skills from authors that inspired me to keep writing. I also gained a community of other writers who understand the challenges that come with writing. For me, it was so helpful to know I wasn’t writing alone!

Training: Poor word choice, punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, or even misleading titles can prevent us from connecting with readers. COMPEL provided me with continuing education on everything writing-related. What I love is that I can revisit courses when I need a refresher.

Insight: Writing is one thing. Reaching your audience is another. COMPEL gave me valuable insight so I could learn how to use my words to resonate with readers. COMPEL also provided practical information regarding blogs, microblogs, podcasts, freelancing, and YouTube; it showed me more ways I could share my message.

Perspective: Have you ever felt like your writing was pointless? What I appreciate the most about COMPEL is that it has helped me keep a godly perspective throughout my writing journey.

As writers, it is all too easy to get sucked into the numbers; when you remember who you are writing for and why you are writing, it allows us to write authentically and with purpose. Here’s the exciting part. Because of COMPEL, I learned how to create a book proposal which eventually attracted a publisher’s attention. In March 2020, my first book will be released! Does that now make me a writer? Nope. Because I’ve been a writer all along. But how exciting is that!

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If you aspire to be a writer, don’t simply dream about it. First, write. Next, invest in your writing. Then, you too can write words that will move people.

Click this link to JOIN COMPEL TODAY!