by Catherine L. Tully

This is a test…

What do you love?

Why am I asking you this? Because it can help you find what you are looking for in writing. Here’s the quote that got me started on this:

“The things that we love tell us what we are.”
-St. Thomas Aquinas

And if you want to be a writer, there’s no better way to wind up in the right spot than to know what you love to write about.

When you first start out as a freelance writer it’s all about trying to get established. Making sure you can pay the bills and building your portfolio are all-important, and often all-consuming tasks. While this can’t really be helped (everybody pays their dues in one way or another), once you head down the freelance writing path a bit, you might want to start thinking about who you are as a writer.

Or, at least, who you would like to be.

Here are a few simple ways to go about that:

• Keep a list of your favorite magazines. This will help you see themes and overall subject matter.
• Be aware when writing. Keep an eye out for times when writing is a pleasure instead of merely a job.
• Journal. A professional journal is a great tool for learning more about yourself, your work preferences and your likes/dislikes.

I’m going to toss this out to the readers now…

How did you discover your inner writer? Any tips you’d like to share?