When you start writing it can be daunting to know when to start calling yourself a writer. Like any identity, “YA writer” is a nebulous category, and only you can decide whether it’s the right time for you to claim that label—or if it’s the right label for you.
So—when can you start calling yourself a YA writer?
1. Now!
Whether you’ve drawn up thirty pages of character stats or drafted a single opening paragraph, you’ve reached a milestone simply by beginning the process. Congratulations! You can now call yourself a YA writer.
2. Tomorrow!
Sometimes, it’s hard to believe you’re a writer until you’ve accomplished something significant. This is a totally valid point of view! The trick is to define “accomplishment” in a way that’s both supportive of your developing craft and motivating you toward greater achievements.
Sometimes, an accomplishment is drafting a single page; sometimes, it’s having a story accepted for publication in a lit mag; sometimes, it’s engaging in a Twitter conversation with an author you adore; sometimes, it’s finding time in the day to scribble story notes to yourself.
3. Not quite yet!
Only you can pinpoint the moment you become a YA writer, and if you’re not quite there, that’s ok!