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so you want to be a writer mike raven

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Dear Readers,
Welcome to the first of many (hopefully) guest blog posts. This one comes from Mike Raven and it’s his story about his experiences trying to balance his passion: writing with the demands of everyday life. Hope you enjoy it. While you’re chilling online I encourage you to check out Mike’s blog: http://thoggy.blogspot.com and his youtube channel: www.youtube.com/ravenswingthog for more writing and etc by Mike (once you have finished reading of course). Enjoy!

 So you want to be a writer?

 Hi - I'm Mike, and Rosemary has been kind enough to let me write a little about writing on her great blog.
I've struggled with writing for years. And years.  I like the idea of having writing as a hobby, but the trouble I face is with fitting writing alongside everything else.

 To give a little background, I live with my partner and 3-year-old son, and I work full time doing an office job, which I enjoy and, more or less, pays the bills.  Over the course of the last eleven years nine of them have involved me studying a variety of things on an evening, from computers to construction.  I also care for my grandmother on a weekend. As a result, I've generally had little time to write.

 Okay - you can now ignore everything I've said just said, because it's all justification for why I haven't written enough. Anyone can have reasons why they haven't got around to doing something, often quite understandable reasons. The reality is that if you want to write, especially as a hobby, (which I do) - you can find the time.  It doesn't have to be a lot, but it does have to be done if you want to call yourself a writer.

 I do not consider myself well versed in the world of writing at all, but I have stumbled across two things that I found helpful.

 The first was that I went on a creative writing course.  I found this was great for me, because it made me write.  The course itself I virtually remember nothing about, but every week I had to turn up with a new piece of work, and deliver that to my classmates. That creates competition, which is good because you don't want to be the one guy that didn't write anything, and you don't want your work to be the worst. Let us be honest - you want your work to the best and you want the rest of the class to be envious of you. Let your ego help you out.

 The second thing is that I started a blog. I started blogging regularly last September, and aim to blog once every other day.  Again, it doesn't have to be pages and pages of text, but it makes you write, and makes you practice your writing. This is important because, despite everything your imagination is telling you, writers don't actually wake up one morning, buy an old fashioned typewriter and, over many cigarettes and coffees, write their first ever work which turns out to be a best-selling masterpiece. For one thing you can't get the ribbons for typewriters any more.

 If you want to write, go do it today. And let me know what you've done - I'd love to read it!

 About the blogger:
 Mike is a part-time blogger, part-time megalomaniac who is awaiting the inevitable calls from the public to rule the world. In the mean time he'll stick with the day job. Feel free to check him out at his blog at http://thoggy.blogspot.com or see him and his evil twin Joel have fun at www.youtube.com/ravenswingthog.

After reading this are you thinking to yourself: I want to write something for this blog? If so don’t be shy: send me an email at rmayrichings@gmail.com. Before you send that email see submission instructions via the following link: http://rosiewritingspace.blogspot.ca/2013/06/call-for-guest-bloggers.html.
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