I've wanted to be a writer for at least 8 years. At first I had aspirations of being a novelist, but after a few years I realized I simply don't have the creativity to crank out novel after novel, and making a living as a fiction author is not easy, either. I've wanted to be a journalist for about five years, I guess. I imagine, when I was younger, that I had dreams of being an astronaut or a firefighter or some other "cool" job all the kids are into.