Am I Even Meant to Be a Writer?

Picture this: You're lying in bed at 2 AM, staring at the ceiling while your brain serves up a delicious cocktail of self-doubt seasoned with just a hint of existential crisis. The question bouncing around your skull like a hyperactive ping-pong ball? "Am I actually meant to be a writer, or am I just deluding myself into thinking I have something worthwhile to say?"

If this scenario feels painfully familiar, congratulations! You've officially joined the club that pretty much every writer on the planet has membership to. The good news? Questioning whether you're "meant" to write doesn't disqualify you from writing. In fact, it might be the most writerly thing about you.

The Great Cosmic Writing Test (Spoiler: It Doesn't Exist)

Let's start by dismantling one of the biggest myths floating around out there. There is no cosmic writing aptitude test. No mystical force is going to tap you on the shoulder and whisper, "Congratulations, mortal! You have been chosen to wield the sacred pen!" (Though honestly, wouldn't that make things so much easier?)

The uncomfortable truth is that "being meant" to write isn't about some predetermined destiny. It's about whether writing serves a purpose in your life. Maybe it helps you process emotions. Maybe it's how you make sense of the world. Maybe you just really, really enjoy the satisfying click of keyboard keys at 3 AM when everyone else is asleep.

Writing doesn't have to be your "calling" to be worth pursuing. Sometimes it's just something you love to do, like how some people love to garden or bake sourdough bread or collect vintage postcards. Not everything needs to be a grand life mission.

Signs You Might Be a Writer (Plot Twist: They're Simpler Than You Think)

Instead of looking for lightning bolts from the universe, try paying attention to these much more mundane (but telling) signs:

You Notice Things

Do you find yourself mentally cataloging the way morning light hits your coffee cup? Do you eavesdrop on conversations in cafes not because you're nosy (okay, maybe a little), but because you're fascinated by how people actually talk? Writers are professional noticers. If you see the world in details and stories, that's not an accident.

You Have Strong Reactions to Words

When you read something beautiful, do you get that fizzy feeling in your chest? When you encounter clunky writing, does it make you want to reach through the page and fix it? Writers tend to be sensitive to language the way musicians are sensitive to pitch. If words affect you deeply, pay attention to that.

You Think in Stories

Do you find yourself turning everyday events into narratives? When something happens to you, do you immediately start thinking about how you'd tell someone else about it? This storytelling instinct is like a writer's natural reflex. Some people think in numbers, some in colors, some in melodies. Writers think in stories.

The Fear Behind the Question

Most of the time, when we ask "Am I meant to be a writer?" what we're really asking is something much scarier: "What if I try really hard and I'm not good at this?" or "What if I invest time and energy into something that doesn't work out?" or the classic "What if people think I'm pretentious for even trying?"

These fears are completely valid. Pursuing writing can feel vulnerable because you're essentially saying, "I think my thoughts and observations are worth other people's time." That takes courage, and courage is scary.

But here's the thing about fear: it's often a compass pointing toward what matters to us. We don't usually fear failure at things we don't care about. If the thought of not being a "real" writer makes you feel sick to your stomach, that might be your answer right there.

Permission Slips Are Overrated

One of the most liberating realizations you can have is that you don't need anyone's permission to write. You don't need a degree, a published book, or even a particularly good grasp of grammar (though spell check certainly helps). You just need curiosity, persistence, and the willingness to put words on a page.

The writing world isn't some exclusive club with a bouncer checking credentials at the door. It's more like a massive, chaotic community garden where everyone's growing something different, and there's always room for one more plot.

What If You're Not "Naturally Gifted"?

Here's another myth worth busting: the idea that "real" writers are naturally gifted and the rest of us are just pretending. Some people do seem to have an intuitive feel for language, just like some people are naturally good at math or have perfect pitch. But natural talent is just a starting point, not a destination.

The writers you admire? They got good by writing. A lot. Often badly, at first. They read voraciously, experimented with different styles, and slowly figured out their own voice through sheer repetition and stubbornness.

If you're not naturally gifted, congratulations! You're in excellent company. Some of the most compelling writers are the ones who had to work for every skill they developed. There's something beautiful about earned expertise.

The Real Test

If you're still wondering whether you're "meant" to write, try this experiment: Write something. Anything. A paragraph about your morning coffee, a description of your annoying neighbor, a story about a character who finds a mysterious key. Don't worry about it being good. Just pay attention to how it feels.

Do you lose track of time? Do you find yourself wanting to fiddle with word choice and sentence structure? Do you feel like you're having a conversation with yourself on the page? These are good signs.

Or maybe you feel frustrated and confused and like you're speaking a foreign language badly. That's okay too! Writing is a skill, and skills feel awkward when you're learning them. The question is: does the awkwardness feel like a challenge you want to tackle, or like a wall you want to walk away from?

The Permission You've Been Waiting For

Here it is, the official permission slip you didn't know you needed: You are allowed to write. You are allowed to call yourself a writer if that word feels right to you. You are allowed to take up space in the literary world, even if you're just starting out, even if you're not sure you're any good, even if you've never published anything.

You don't have to justify your place at the table. You don't have to prove you belong. You just have to show up and write.

The world needs more voices, more perspectives, more stories. Maybe yours is one of them. Maybe it's not. But the only way to find out is to write and see what happens.

So stop asking the universe if you're meant to be a writer. Start asking yourself if you want to write. And if the answer is yes, then grab a pen (or open a laptop) and get started. The cosmic writing test was inside you all along.