Faking It.

One day when I'm grown up, I want to be a real writer. I wonder what it will feel like. My friends say..'that's ridiculous, you have five published picture books, of course you're a writer.'

But my secret fear is that each book will be the last. I have a book coming out in March and one in September in the UK. BUT I STILL DON'T FEEL LIKE A WRITER! Happily this week I had an acceptance for another book so that feeling that it's all going to evaporate tomorrow has gone a little for now.

When I first started out all I wanted was that first acceptance. But it wasn't enough.

I was worried that I would be the Plastic Bertrand of childrens books. There, showing my age now. But Ca Plane Pour Moi can still get middle aged people at a person dancing like a bungee jumper. Then the next acceptance came. You'd think I'd relax then but no, it was worse. What if I only had two ideas that were any good??? I'd always wanted to be a writer and be able to utter those words, so I told myself that once I had three books published I could actually say to people, 'I'm a writer.' But now, I tell people I'm a chemistry teacher. Go figure.

I'm friends with some wonderfully talented writers. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who feels that way. This was a comment from Trudie Trewin (http://trudietrewin.com/) I wish I was as funny as her. She must be a real writer!

Says Trudie 'I really hope there's a point where the pretend-writer feeling goes away
too! Or will there be a Current Affair expose one day, with me trying to
slam the door on the camera - and the reporter calling out 'You just
fluked it a couple of times, didn't you - you're not really a writer are
you? - Can you tell us what a mixed metaphor is Mrs Trewin? or a
fragmented sentence? ... Mrs Trewin?... we know you're in there'

It's nice to know someone else feels the same way!