You Are a Writer

You Are a Writer is a book about what it takes to be a writer in the 21st Century.

Author Jeff Goins shares his own story of self-doubt and what it took for him to become a professional. He gives you practical tips for freelancing, how to get published in magazines, and what it takes to build a platform that brings the gatekeepers to you.

This journey of becoming a writer begins with a simple but important belief: You are a writer; you just need to write. Readers will learn the importance of passion and discipline and how to show up every day to do the work.
Here's what else you will learn:

How to stop waiting to be picked and finally choose yourselfWhat it takes to build a platformWhy authors need to brand themselves (and how to do it)Tips for freelancing, guest blogging, and getting published in magazinesDifferent ways to network with other writers, artists, and influencersThe importance of blogging and social media and how to use it well to get more readers and fans of your writingYou Are a Writer is a book that will help you fall back in love with writing and make the connections you need to build your brand as a writer. It's about living the dream of a life dedicated to words.

And it all begins with you.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Sarah MaeIntroductionWriters Are Born, Not MadeThe Truth About WritingBuilding a Platform  Establishing a BrandChannels of ConnectionGetting StartedBefore Your First BookWhat Next?About the AuthorShare this BookReview«In You Are a Writer, Jeff Goins shares the truth about writing. He provides the tools and insights you need to build your platform, develop an audience, and make meaningful connections. No writer should embark on his or her writing journey without reading this first!»
-Michael Hyatt // Author, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World

“Writers! Read this by Jeff Goins. Seriously. Go.”
-Carrie Wilkerson // Author, The Barefoot Executive

“As an academic who doesn't have a marketing bone in my body, Jeff Goins helped me understand branding for my blog in a new way.”
-Elizabeth Chapin

“Writers now have the option of building an audience, a brand, and affecting thousands — maybe millions — of people with their words. Jeff is showing you the door. The question is, will you open it and put your foot forward?”
-Paul Jun
From the AuthorHi, my name's Jeff. And I'm a writer. But I didn't always think of myself that way. In fact, for years, I dreamed of one day becoming a writer. But secretly, I was afraid of the risk. It took a gentle but firm rebuke from a friend to realize the dead-end course I was on, to finally understand who I was. After that, I was never the same.

One day, a friend asked me about my dream. I said I didn't know. “Really?” he said. “That's too bad — because I would've thought it was to be a writer.”

That hit me hard. I told him that was true. I did hope to be a writer. Maybe. Some day. If I was lucky.

He shook his head and smiled: “Jeff, you don't have to want to be a writer. You are a writer. You just need to write.” So that's what I did, and it changed everything.

This is an eBook about a journey of becoming a writer. It's a guide to writing and publishing, including how to navigate the world of platform-building and getting your work noticed. Mostly, it's about believing in yourself. About the process of self-doubt we all go through and the declarations we make to do what were made to do.

Whether you realize it or not, you are a writer. You just need to write.