ILLUSTRATION BY HEEJI MIN HEO

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hen I started to write and began considering myself as a writer, I have always thought that this kind of passion is something painful 

to do. Not in a literal sense, but just the idea of doing it. Over the years, I’ve encountered many writers who each had their own thoughts on what it means to write. But one note that stuck with me came from my creative writing teacher (now a published author) who once simply said that to be good at writing, you simply have to keep doing it. That’s one of the most important notes I’ve carried with me: consistency is everything. It’s not just about talent or inspiration, but rather it’s about doing it. I held onto that idea of “consistency matters” and made it one of my guiding notes. Each time I wrote I learned more through the practice itself. And now, having lived in that practice for a while, I find it worth sharing, so here are some notes on being a writer:

To begin with the first note, when you’re trying to write, I want you to remember first that being a writer means you have to write the first bad-ever-looking draft of your piece. Nobody sits down and writes something perfect on the first try, not even professional writers. The first draft is where you figure out what you’re actually trying to say.

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I’ve had so many moments where I’ve looked at my first draft and thought, this is garbage. And honestly, sometimes it is. But I’ve also learned that it doesn’t matter. What matters is getting the ideas down. Once something is on the page, even if it’s messy or awkward, you can work with it. You can revise, delete, rearrange, or completely rewrite. But if you never write that first messy version, there’s nothing to improve. So as a writer, write the bad draft. Don’t wait until it sounds good. It’s supposed to be rough at first. That’s how writing works. 

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Here’s the second note. When you get nervous or scared to put your writing online out of fear of judgment, I need you to remember something important: people are incredibly self-focused. We love to make things about ourselves. So when you post a poem, short story, or essay on Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram, most people who come across it aren’t going to be thinking about you as the writer.

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Sure, if it's a family member or a close friend who knows your story, they might connect the piece back to you. But for the average person,someone who doesn't know your background, they’re much more likely to internalize your work and try to apply it to their own life, consciously or not. That’s just what we do when we read or consume art: we look for ourselves in it. We try to see how it reflects our own experiences.

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The more you share writing that feels vulnerable, meaningful, or just fun to you, the more you’re giving other people a chance to connect with those same feelings in themselves through your words. I remember reading The Idiot by Elif Batuman, and I loved it. But what stood out wasn’t just the story, it was how often I saw myself in the narrator’s awkwardness, confusion, and overthinking. I didn’t know the author personally, but somehow the writing felt like it was speaking to me, like it had pulled a piece of my own experience into focus. That’s what writing can do when it’s honest.

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And when your work makes someone feel something deeply, it creates a kind of curiosity, about the writing, and about you as a writer. If you keep sharing that kind of work consistently, it gives people the chance to become fans of what you do. Not because you’re trying to impress anyone, but because you’re giving them something real to connect to.

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Last note for you as a writer: you have to tell people that you’re a writer. If you have this instinctual urge to grab a piece of paper, open your laptop, or jot something down in your notes app, that means you’re a writer. I promise you, most people don’t get that urge. Most people don’t sit around thinking of storylines, poems, or phrases they want to exist in words. But if you do, that’s not random. That’s something real.

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There is no official title or external metric that makes someone a writer. There’s no follower count, publishing deal, or degree that suddenly hands you that identity. Half the battle is simply believing that you are one. Believing that you’re good enough. That your ideas are worth something. That the words and images that live in your head were planted there for a reason. I used to hesitate when people asked me what I did or what I was passionate about. I’d just say vague things like “I like to write sometimes,” even though writing was one of the few things that made me feel completely like myself. So start small. Tell your friends, your family, or even a stranger. Just say it: I’m a writer. And when in doubt, remember this, if you’re doing the verb, then you are the noun. If you write, you are a writer.

In the end, these notes are not rules, but reminders from my own practice. They come from the lessons I’ve learned, the mistakes I’ve made, and the growth I’ve experienced as a writer. I don’t expect you to follow them exactly, but maybe, when you need them, they’ll help you think or see things differently. Being a writer isn’t always easy, but through practice, it becomes something we can shape and improve. And that’s something I believe, among the three notes I left here, we must always remember.​