Stop Calling Yourself “Aspiring”

Because it’s just a Fancy Way to procrastinate

You’re at a party. Someone asks what you do.

“I’m an… aspiring writer,” you mumble, already hating yourself.

The other person nods politely, instantly files you under “hobbyist,” and changes the topic to their dog’s Instagram.

Congratulations. You just demoted yourself before anyone else could.

I did it for years. “Aspiring” was my favorite security blanket. It let me write in secret, post nothing, and still feel artistic while protecting my ego from rejections.

Then one day, I looked at my bio, “Aspiring writer | 6 years running” and wanted to punch myself in the face.

Darling, no committee knights you “real writer.” The second you write, you’re a writer. Period.

Why “Aspiring Writer” Is the Most Ridiculous Label You’ll Ever Use

Calling yourself aspiring isn’t humble. It’s self-sabotage wearing a humility costume.

Every time you say it, you’re telling your brain (and the world):

• My work isn’t good enough yet

• I don’t deserve to take up space

• Real writers are a special club I’m not in

  
  

Guess what? That club is imaginary. The bouncer is you.

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” — Henry Ford (who definitely never called himself an “aspiring” industrialist)

When I finally deleted “aspiring” from every bio in 2024, something ridiculous happened: nothing exploded. But within six months, I’d doubled my income from writing.

The work didn’t magically improve overnight. The identity did.

The One Question That Instantly Makes You a Real Writer

Ask yourself this right now:

“If I woke up tomorrow and every single person on Earth already believed I was a legit, full-time writer… what would I do differently TODAY?”

Write that list. Then do the first three items before lunch.

For me, the list looked like:

• Change every bio from “aspiring writer” to just “writer”

• Finally publish that vampire book I’d been planning for 14 months

• Submit one piece I was scared to send

I did all three in 48 hours. The sky did not fall. Readers appeared. Clients appeared. Opportunities I “wasn’t ready for” suddenly fit.

Sweetheart, your identity shapes your actions. Change the identity first, and the actions follow like ducklings.

How to Stop Aspiring and Start Owning It

Stop waiting for perfection, publication, or a six-figure advance. Here’s the playbook I wish someone had slapped me with years earlier:

1. Kill the Word… Everywhere

Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, email signature, dating apps, your mom’s Christmas letter.

Replace with: Writer. Or get specific: Freelance writer. Novelist. Copywriter. Poet. Whatever you actually do when you sit down and type.

2. Publish Something This Week

Doesn’t matter if it’s a 280-character thread on X, a Medium post, or a note pinned to your neighbor’s door.

3. Introduce Yourself Like You Mean It

For the next social situation, practice this script:

Them: So what do you do?

You: I’m a writer. Working on a book/essays/scripts right now.

Watch their eyes change because trust me, people treat you differently when you stop apologizing for existing.

4. Build a “Real Writer” Receipt Folder

Collect proof you’re not delusional:

• Screenshots of published pieces

• Payment notifications

• Nice reader emails

• Calendar invites for podcast interviews

Open it when imposter syndrome knocks.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” — Will Durant (summarizing Aristotle)

The Secret Real Writers Know That “Aspiring” Ones Don’t

Real writers still feel like frauds. Daily. The difference is that they write anyway.

Stephen King still gets nervous before starting a new book. Neil Gaiman says he feels like an imposter every time. Taylor Swift literally writes songs about feeling like a fraud.

The feeling never leaves. You just stop letting it drive.

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” — my guy, Stephen King.

When Someone Calls You “Aspiring” This is How You Respond

Them: So you’re an aspiring writer?

You (smiling): Nope, just a writer. ‘Aspiring’ is for people who don’t write yet.

Mic drop. Respect earned 100%!

I’ve used that line. Works 100% of the time.

Publicly Commit (Right Now)

Still scared? Good. Do it scared.

Drop your new no-aspiring bio in the comments below. Or tell me the first piece you’re publishing this week. And when you finally publish, drop the link as well.

I’ll read every single one and clap like a maniac.

Because the second you stop aspiring and start declaring, that’s the exact moment you become a real writer.

Now go change every damn bio before you close this tab.