If you put pen to paper in order to tell a story, you are a writer.
Outlining, setting the scene, developing the plot, characters, and creating conflict. It all involves plenty of blood sweat and tears. Writing a novel takes time, dedication and a great deal of perseverance.
If you have put time and effort into making your story come to life, sacrificed socialising with friends and time with your family, you are not an aspiring author, you are an author.
Whether you self publish or are traditionally published, you have managed to get your story out there, and hopefully in front of your target audience. You have achieved something many people hope to do, but never achieve in their lifetime.
Here are five reasons having a completed manuscript makes you a bad arse:
Writing a book is hard work. It can take months, often years to complete the process of getting your work out there.
Editing can be downright painful. It's tedious and time consuming. You may need to come up with a whole new sub-plot in order to increase your word count, or cut a favourite scene for the sake of the story.
You will doubt yourself and the quality of your work on a regular basis. This can shatter your self confidence.
Sometimes, the people closest to you will not understand your passion for writing, or why you have to dedicate so much time to your labour of love.
You will suffer rejection, yet you will carry on regardless, determined to get your baby out into the big bad world.
If you can relate to any of this, you, my friend, are most certainly, a writer.