@ jonathan - The best definition of a "real" writer I've heard is this: A writer is someone who writes, finishes what he writers, and sends it out to get published. You do that, you're a writer. That's all you can control.

SF writer Tobias Buckell once said a writer is measured by the weight of his rejection slips. Since all writers get rejected -- even long-time pros -- the more rejections, the more of a writer you are.

Thoughts to ponder.

250 words a day is a fine daily goal. Another SF writer, James Van Pelt, has a minimum daily goal of 200 words. He hasn't missed a day in close to eleven years! And has around 100 short story credits, plus one novel, to his name. Not bad, me thinks.