Having a major teacher resource website and a series of 20 coursebooks published with one of the "Big 4" ELT publishers, a question I get a lot is - "hey, how did you become a writer? I've got some stuff, been using it in my classes, you see..."
My answer to this question is almost always: "Well then, obviously you already are a writer."
Most of the time, this response evokes a sense of amusement in the questioner, often tinged with a shade of politely restrained frustration - as if to say "don't patronize me... we both know you're a writer and I want to become a writer, and that's why I asked you the question, you knob!"
Well, I stand by my answer - because I still maintain it is true - while at the same time aknowledging that it may not be the answer people expect or hope for. Five years ago, I probably wouldn't have been willing to see myself as an "ELT writer", despite the fact that I'd already (by that stage) been writing ELT materials for 5+ years - materials that were being used in classrooms with real learners by myself and other teachers.
The problem appears to be with the basic expectation that becoming an ELT materials writer means being picked up by a publisher and having your materials bound in a nice cover, with your name on the front, taking pride of place next to successful coursebook series on the shelf of your nearest English education bookshop.
I strongly urge budding ELT materials writers out there to avoid this narrow interpretation of ELT writing success - 1) because the chances of a major ELT publisher taking you on are depressingly slim no matter how good you are (or think you are!); 2) major publishers are only one of several avenues to successful materials writing and dissemination; and 3) writing for major publishers can actually restrain your growth as a dynamic and innovative materials developer.
It's important to start somewhere, whatever it is you do in any walk of life, and if you've already started making good quality materials for your classes, you've made a perfect start.
So at the risk of sounding patronizing and dismissive, I hope readers are willing to embrace this initial definition as a realistic starting point:
Step 1: I write my own materials and use them in my own classes. I am an education materials writer.
If this applies to you, welcome to the field of educational materials design/writing! Maybe hold off at this early stage from telling everyone you meet that you're a writer, because you could be seen to be putting on airs or exaggerating - because of that narrow interpretation of writing success I mentioned earlier.
But tell yourself, and be proud of it! You've taken that first important step and gone from just consuming other people's materials to producing and using your own.
Enjoy this stage, because it's possibly the most enjoyable one! You can experiment very freely, and if your stuff is any good, you'll get immediate positive feedback from how the class works and how the learners themselves react to the materials. It's also the stage where stuff-ups don't really matter all that much - and experimenting inevitably involves plenty of stuff-ups. You and your learners will - at this stage - be pretty ready to forgive the mistakes, and that in turn gives you more confidence to experiment even more. Also, mistakes are as important (if not more important) than successes in helping you improve your work and produce good quality materials more consistently - so embrace your stuff-ups!
Go for your life! And you know what: I really DO envy you! Just writing for yourself and your learners is a wonderful and rewarding experience, full of freedom and discovery. If you don't progress (much) beyond this stage, know that you are already a success, and you may even be avoiding some frustration and pain in the future...
I intend to pursue a simple step-by-step process in explaining the path to ELT materials writing success, and the next important step is preparing the right materials in the right ways to facilitate other people using your materials as well.
More on that very soon!
:-)
