In my second year of writing online, I was involved in a scandalous affair on Twitter.

I’d recently launched my online business and written an encouraging post for newbie writers. I meant well, but unfortunately, it rubbed someone up the wrong way.

We’ll call her Miss Misery.

Miss Misery stormed into the comments with accusations of snake-oil marketing methods. She called me a bro (ouch), and then went on to complain on her own timeline about these ‘young american kids pretending to be writers’.

Her audience cheered her on as she proclaimed YOU ARE NOT A WRITER to anyone listening.

Now, despite her wildly inaccurate labels screaming for retribution, my golden rule is not to argue with strangers online (I’m a British balding man who spends most of his time buried in fantasy books—not exactly bro material).

But I did it take personally.

Like many people chasing external validation—sorry, I mean building an audience—I have a fragile ego buried below my polished exterior.

I was still an amateur online.

The only writing I had to my name were tweets, threads, and emails. Her comment was like a magnifying glass intensifying my imposter syndrome—leaving me well and truly burned.

It wasn’t until I spoke with Erica Schneider, an excellent writer, that I began reframing the situation. She soothed me with reassurances that you are a writer if you have an audience and a business.

Since that conversation, I’ve thought a lot about Miss Misery.

I’ve seen other naysayers complain in a similar vein, and I think I know why:

Inertia.

Let me explain.

For most of history, you had to write a book to be a writer.

Then newspapers arrived, and we had reporters and advertisers. With the start of the Internet, we had bloggers and, later, newsletter writers.

I’m sure, at every iteration, a group of pessimists shook their fists at the new wave of frauds and fakes. Meanwhile, the optimists were taking advantage of new opportunities.

I know which side I’d prefer to be on.

Like it or not, social media writing is the newest spin of the wheel. I can understand why the elitists see it as stupid—there’re a lot braindead posts out there.

But not all content is bad.

And what is writing except the ability to captivate an audience’s attention?

Here’s the truth:

You’re a writer if you post ideas that help others.

It doesn’t matter how you write. It doesn’t matter where you write. It only matters that you write.

You might not be very good (yet), but that doesn’t change the fact you’re making an effort.

And trust me, if you keep going, the Internet will reward you.

The difference between the older and newer generations of writers is that you no longer have to subscribe to the starving artist analogy to pursue your passion for words.

Today, you can go out, attract an audience, and build products and services without anyone’s permission.

You can do it for free from anywhere in the world.

And it's only getting more exciting.

Keep on writing my friend,

Kieran