Do you have 'The Right Stuff' to be a writer?  Well don't worry, I didn't either.  

     When I first got back into writing, I just wrote.  I 'barfed' out the story from beginning to end and then sat back and felt very proud of my accomplishment.   I then handed it out to anyone who would read it.  Of course, I thought it was brilliant and they would love it.  

     I laugh at that now.

     Of course they were all my friends and treaded lightly.  I went back and wrote a few more drafts, taking in the suggestions and feedback I had gotten and then found a local writing critique group.  I was so excited for my first critique.  I was so sure they'd love it and hoist me up on their shoulders and pronounce me the best writer in decades...well not really, but I had high hopes.  Instead,  I got hammered!  And now that I look back, they were kind.   I learned something that night.  Writing isn't just about actually writing, it's about researching and refreshing our minds on how to write complete sentences.  Making sure our modifiers are in the right places and not over using semi-colons to make WORD a happy camper (which by the way, one of the founders of the writing group threatened to pry off my semi-colon off my laptop).  I'm not saying you can't use them, but trust me, you can over use them very easily.  

     So back to my topic, do you have 'The Right Stuff' to be a writer?  

     1.  I think the first thing a writer needs to have is the desire to write.  Even when you don't have a story to go with, we can just start writing and out of the gibberish, we find something we can work with.  This site has numerous ideas to get you started http://creativewritingprompts.com/

    2.  I think we have to write because we enjoy it, because we have to record the voices in our head to keep from going insane (or is that just me, ha).  I know I look forward to having that daily writing time, even if it's only journaling.  The joy of writing http://www.dailywritingtips.com/how-to-rediscover-the-joy-of-writing/

     3.  Write, rewrite, write, rewrite, and look for readers who will give us honest feedback without being candy coated.  We should want our manuscript to sparkle!  Here is a great site about grammar  http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ 

     4.  We have to have patience.  Even if our book gets picked up by a publisher, it's a long process.  Use the time to continue to write, learn, and share our feedback with others.  Join the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FB-Writers-Critique-Group/15920213081... and lend a critique or two or more.  :-)

     5.  Sign up for editor, publisher and agent blogs.  http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs There are great tips on developing our stories and writing query letters.  I would say it's helpful to know about the process before we start pitching.  Thousands of queries go out everyday, so don't end up in their never ending 'slush pile'.

     So if your saying to yourself, I don't have time for all that, then you might not be ready and that's okay too.  I believe in perfect timing and if you're meant to write the next best seller, you will!  My best advice is don't rush it and learn the craft.  

What would you add to this list?  Feel Free to share your favorite sites on the topic of writing.

Happy Writing,
Shelly Goodman Wright

-Author of TWISTED ROOTS a Christian Romance/Suspense Novel scheduled for Spring 2012 launch.

-Author of The Irreversible Catastrophe of Professor Babcock in Steampunk Tales Issue 12 www.steampunktales.com  

-Contributor to Colorado Springs Fiction Writers Group (WHICH IS OPEN FOR NEW MEMBERS!)  http://www.coloradospringsfictionwritersgroup.org/index.php