You Don’t Need Permission to Be a Writer

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT You don’t need an agent, a publisher, an editor, or anyone else to give you permission to be a writer. For years, I waited for someone else to tell me it was okay to take writing seriously. I chased opportunities, worked jobs, paid bills, and kept telling myself that someday I’d finally have enough time to write. But someday doesn’t show up on its own. In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, we’re talking about what it really means to give yourself permission to write, why so many aspiring authors get stuck waiting for validation, and the difference between wanting to be a writer and simply liking the idea of having written a book. We’ll also talk about making writing part of your actual life, Stephen King’s “open-door” approach to writing, why indie publishing has changed who gets to call themselves an author, and why the story that keeps nagging at you may be yours to tell. If you’ve been waiting for someone to tell you that you’re allowed to write the book, consider this your permission. Now go do the work. Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS TIMECODES: 00:00 You don’t need permission to be a writer 00:51 Waiting for someone to validate your writing 01:37 Why “I’ll write someday” doesn’t work 02:22 Stephen King’s open-door approach to writing 03:02 You don’t need an agent or publisher’s blessing 03:28 What indie publishing changed for writers 04:17 Do you want to write—or just have written? 05:30 Why some stories won’t leave you alone 06:44 Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic and where ideas come from 07:41 What happens when you don’t pursue an idea 08:31 AI, authorship, and actually doing the creative work 09:11 Your official permission to write 09:34 Discipline, habits, and making consistent progress 10:16 What keeps you writing? If you’re a writer, aspiring author, indie publisher, or creative entrepreneur trying to build a sustainable creative life, subscribe to Wordslinger. This channel is here to give you practical, experience-tested guidance on writing better books, publishing intelligently, building your author career, and doing the work that moves you forward. FIND KEVIN: Find Kevin and his books: https://kevintumlinson.com Join Kevin on Substack: https://kevintumlinson.substack.com Wordslinger Podcast home page: https://wordslingerpodcast.com SERVICES FOR AUTHORS: Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid: https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5 Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital: https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books and more at AuthorAnchor: https://authoranchor.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.