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3 Terrifying Little Words Every New Writer Hates to Say

The most difficult part of becoming a writer is saying the words, “I’m a Writer.”

Matt Gangloff
4 min readMar 18, 2022
Photo by ABDALLA M on Unsplash

This must be what ‘coming out’ feels like.

Somehow, every time I get this question, I’m completely caught off guard. I wonder if she can read the panic on my face. But I’m gonna say it this time.

I’m not gonna make some cute, evasive comment so I don’t have to say it. I promised myself this morning that if someone asked, I would tell the truth. But, God, why did it have to be her?

“What do you do,” she asks and I choke on my Pampelmousse La Croix.

“I’m…a writer,” I stammer back.

And my inflection goes up at the end, like I’m asking a question instead of answering one. But, regardless, I did it. This is the first time I’ve said it out loud, to a real, live person.

“Oh yeah!? What kind of writing do you do?”

Fuck.

Why It’s So Hard to Call Yourself a Writer

Every new writer has this experience.

In fact, if you aren’t absolutely mortified by the idea of calling yourself a writer, I probably don’t wanna read your shit. Good writing comes from…

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Matt Gangloff
Matt Gangloff

Written by Matt Gangloff

I teach the how-to’s of Post-Traumatic Growth: How to heal and grow, find a new mission, become your best self and build a meaningful life. www.mattgangloff.com

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