Reading Is Magic!

How I Became a Writer

“No matter what happens in my life,
I know I can pick up my pen and I can fly!”
– Beverly Melasi –

How I became a Writer…

What happens when someone decides to become a writer? Does lightning flash and thunder rumble overhead? Do they hear a big drum roll? Does a voice in their head tell them to sit down and write? Do they wake up one morning and say, “Hey, I think I’ll become a writer today?” I think of writing as a skilled trade that must be mastered every day. It takes great optimism, and a lot of hard work.

I began my writing career after I was what I considered a “published writer.” I wrote feature articles for my community newspaper. Then I decided to go to college to really hone my craft. I thought, hey, I love to read books, I’m already a published writer, so getting a degree in writing should be a snap, right? Ha! My instructors bled my papers (used red ink to correct them). My technical writing instructor told me that I wrote too “flowery”! Yeah, well…

Soon after college, I sat down with all of my shiny new knowledge, and developed a class called, “Writing for Publication,” and began teaching adult education programs at public schools and universities. After carting handouts around to my classes for a few years, I thought, why am I doing this when I could just write a book? So, I wrote a workbook and titled it, you guessed it, “Writing for Publication!”

I set up an assembly line in my kitchen, put the books together page-by-page, and spiral bound them. They were beautiful! I still remember holding that first bound copy in my hands! I felt the thrill of being a published author for the first time. I got all slushy about it and with tears in my eyes I said, “It’s a real book!”

And the Rest is History!

That’s all it took. I was hooked on writing books, and compelled to write more. I happened to find Dan Poynter, who was the guru on self-publishing. So I thought, why not? That’s when, “Fort Comradery – The Secret Fort” was born. I know what you’re thinking. It’s not a real published book, because a big name publisher didn’t publish it! So what? It doesn’t make me any less of a published author. What it does make me is full royalties when I sell my books!

Subsequently, I found an author on Dan Poynter’s newsletter, who needed a ghostwriter for a new kid’s mystery book series. I submitted three chapters of “Fort Comradery – The Secret Fort” to them, and TA-DA! I’ve written six kids mystery books for them over the past six years.

Why write under someone else’s name? It was the greatest experience of my life, and made me a much better writer. Not only did I have the opportunity to work with a lot of people in the publishing business, I got to see my work in print. The books are published, out in the stores, and can be read on Barnes & Noble Nook, Kindle, Kindle Paper White, IPad Pro, Sony PRS-505, Slick ER701 eReader, and Kobo N905-Kbo-B Kobo Touch.

Real writers are compelled to write. I know I am. I hear the rhythm of what I read and what I write. I still have a T-shirt from the Detroit Working Writers that says, “I hear the voices”. And you know what, I actually do! Sometimes when I am writing a kids mystery book, the characters hold conversations in my head. And I’m right there with my pen getting it all down on paper.

I am a writer every day. It is my calling. I write books. I write on my website: Kidsmysterybooks.com. I write curriculums for classes and then teach them. I recently taught Intro to Journalism and Creative Writing courses for Miami-Dade College’s “Kids and Teen College Program.”

I am a huge advocate of reading and writing, and speak about it to anyone who will listen (schools/associations/women’s clubs). Incredibly, all of this was made possible because one day I woke up and decided to become a writer!

A humble beginning, that’s me. It can be you as well. Take baby steps if you must, but start writing, and don’t be afraid. Take your fear by the hand and jump! Think about “The Little Engine That Could”…I think I can, I think I can.

If you would like more information on becoming a writer and published author, please contact me. I’d also love to hear your, “How I Became a Writer”, story.

“Think of what you can achieve
if only you believe!”
– Beverly Melasi –

Posted In: On Being a Writer

Tags: Author, Creative Writing, Ghost Writer, Journalism, Published, Published Author, Reading, Reading and Writing, Story, Working Writers, Writer, Writing, Writing for Publication