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when do you get to call yourself a writer?

poet Anonymous

so a friend and i recently had a conversation about calling ourselves writers and musicians. both of us have the qualifications for both (qualifications meaning education/degree), but neither of us are 'professional' as it were. we're not well known musicians or published authors.

I've always considered myself a musician because i play/sing and perform in front of people on a regular basis. but writing...well, other than here and a couple of blogs, I've never been published.

i say I'm a writer, even if I've never been published. she says you can't claim that title unless you've been published. (i know, silly argument.)

so what say you? just curious.

lepperochan
Craic-Dealer
Guardian of Shadows
Palestine 67awards
Joined 1st Apr 2011
Forum Posts: 14449

a brick layer lays bricks, if he builds a wall on his own without anyone seeing him the wall is still there, and brick layers rarley sign their walls


johnrot
Tyrant of Words
21awards
Joined 10th Oct 2012
Forum Posts: 3645

i'm an alcoholic with 9 toes,

and sometimes people like the stuff i say,

so i think it's up to them....

but i'm cool with the previous title.

MadameLavender
Guardian of Shadows
United States 86awards
Joined 17th Feb 2013
Forum Posts: 5594

I think that whatever your calling in life is, you get to "call" yourself;  I have a BS in clinical lab science, so yes, I can call myself a lab tech, but I also teach college classes and do seamstress work on the side, both of which I have no formal training or degree for, yet I can still call myself a teacher or a seamstress, because if I accomplish those in a positive manner, get someone to learn something, create some incredible things with my sewing machine, then it doesn't matter what your talents are--you can call yourself by them, regardless of a man-made degree or "kudos" or some certification saying you can do this, or this is you.

poet Anonymous

i tend to agree with all of you. just wondering what others thought.

and i wasn't implying that you had to have some kind of degree to be a writer/musician/chauffeur/etc. it was just a part of a previous conversation. so i hope no one took it that way.

this does still stand to ponder, though: i can call myself whatever the hell i want. but just because i call myself that doesn't make it accurate. i can say "I am an artist," but that is not true. there has to be actions taken to become a an artist. so i put paint to canvas. but it ends up being shit. so am i still an artist? or do i not become an artist until two pieces are complete?

i'm kind of talking in circles, but just thinking 'out loud' i guess.

poet Anonymous

I could see how calling yourself a doctor or something of that sort could be disputed if you didn't have the proper schooling but for anything else the only opinion that really matters on who or what you think/say you are is your own.

also have you ever heard of abstract expressionism?(it may answer your question about being an artist)

poet Anonymous

Winn yew putt inc tew paper und scribbull werds.  Butt reelee???
Winn dyzzuh a wabbitt no he'zuh wabbitt?
Iz itt jenettick?
Duh universs reveeled.
Uh huh.
Eye newuh Mann kawed himselff Herkulees.
He wuz inn denile.
A modurn poeit he wuz.
Daddee noz best.

Viddax
Lord Viddax
Guardian of Shadows
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Joined 10th Oct 2009
Forum Posts: 6672

I think along these lines a person can call themselves whatever they want. Whether other people agree and also call them the same thing is a different matter. With the artist case, you would be a shit artist (not to confused with an artist who uses poo and excrement as their medium), as with the arts the lowest factor for the title is doing one slighty artsy thing regardless of skill.
It means all who doodle are artists, and all who have painted as kids are artists, its just that if someone sticks to doing something or does it well then they can claim that title easily.

MadameLavender
Guardian of Shadows
United States 86awards
Joined 17th Feb 2013
Forum Posts: 5594

Well, apparently even crappy artists can call themselves artists:

http://www.museumofbadart.org/


LOL :)

poet Anonymous

that is perfect, MadameLavender!

diamonddave75
Tyrant of Words
United States 20awards
Joined 28th Oct 2014
Forum Posts: 244

I believe i'm a writer, poet, and lyricist.. not because i have the education.. and i'm not implying that's what you meant it to sound like.. i think you are what you put your heart into.. if you put blood, sweat, and tears into something you truly love.. then you are a reflection, of the art you create.. so therefore you are an artist.. if that makes any sense.. are there levels, to your ability or work.. yeah.. i'll never sell as many books, as Stephen King.. or as many albums as Van Halen.. but i am an artist none the less.. just my beliefs..

RavenofSorrow
Fire of Insight
United States 6awards
Joined 19th Jan 2011
Forum Posts: 453

I really didn't know i was a poet until i wrote my first poem.. well first one i can remember anyway.. it happened out of curiosity and a little spark of love.. and after i read it, it dawned on me.. then there's this feeling when we read our own work.. almost like it was written by someone else.. its like giving birth to a living soul..its creating.. its like bringing into existence out of endless possibility... kind of like a limiting it in a way as far as all the potential ways the poem could be written.. in order to grab this feeling or idea and birth it onto the physical plane for a clearer examination.. its kind of like magic.. it didnt exist and now it exists.. or did it always exist in some realm of unlimited possibility and oneness with all un-created seeds of expression that may grow beneath the soil of someones mind to seek expression.. and its like a little piece of ourselves a piece of our souls become entwined  in them.. kind of like how dna fuses the different strands of the parents to create something the same but different.. One strand being the basic building blocks like say the emotions and ideas we all share. And the other strand being the way we arrange those ideas as they come out onto the canvas which makes it unique from others. Being a reflection of you. And a part of you. and when others read it they can get a glimpse of your personality.. so they represent us like we would represent our parents.. and we live on through our art.. so it must be concluded that realizing that, even in the faintest way makes you a writer or a poet or any type of artist.

poet Anonymous

Uzuallee beetwean 4 inda mourneeng und 7.
Butt sumtymez beetwean sixx att nyte und midnyte.
I dunno.
Lyke winnevher itt strykes mai phansee.
Sumtymez eye caw maiselff n odeist.
Itza type uv righter.
Ore uh balladear.
Dat wun tew.

LobodeSanPedro
Tyrant of Words
Sierra Leone 109awards
Joined 16th Apr 2013
Forum Posts: 3304

Consistency - dedication and willingness to better yourself at the craft are perquisites for being called "a writer".

I use to play trumpet in junior high school for three years - I was horrid - I had no feel for the instrument - I wasn't a musician then - I'm not now. No more so than the people who drop into this site with three or four "you are the love of life" and -or "fuck me baby fuck me" poems and are gone in a week ... those aren't writers.  

Writers write to engage ... whether its 15 reads or 615 - the true writers love the craft so much they may be happiest with the 15 because they pissed a little blood getting a particular piece out ...

... And audience size means nothing! ... Some of the best musicians I've ever seen were those playing in little dark bars - street corners - or subway platforms.

One spring or summer day I want to find the balls to step into a park or station myself on a metro platform and do a one man show featuring my pieces ... If I can engage just two or three people - then yeah - maybe I can call myself a writer.

LobodeSanPedro
Tyrant of Words
Sierra Leone 109awards
Joined 16th Apr 2013
Forum Posts: 3304

For ME to call myself a writer - at times I'm both task master and student ... I'm my own worst critic ...

http://38.media.tumblr.com/dda453ad0181f0b4b301474e3ec8c80b/tumblr_nd9f0sOUTg1rkem6ho8_500.gif

... Which leads me to this ...

http://38.media.tumblr.com/e3360c37d8af4b68021e95ed980c8f5e/tumblr_nd8mrdeFZt1tkfob3o1_400.gif

One day I'll figure it out.

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