Am I a poser?

I want to be a better writer, which is why I do this. But is it right? Here I am, claiming to be, trying to be, some sort of writer, and it's coming out of an entirely untrained place. Let's see, I took one composition class. In high school. I didn't even take a course in college. I've had brief periods of keeping a journal (which are all hidden away, thank you very much. No, you cannot see them. Ever. Ever ever. No, I mean it), but I've never written a work of fiction, a poem, a song. So, do I have the right to even try to be a writer?

I've thought about this when I think about discussing books with my brother. He always claims he wants to talk about what I'm reading, but, really? Does he? He has a PhD in literature, I have an overused Amazon credit card. What can I add to his conversations regarding literature? "Oh, this is what the common folk think?" Perhaps. 

Part of this comes from my own prejudices. I will admit that I took nothing higher than Mr. Thomas' American Lit class on the literature front. But I did study quite a bit of science. So, when Scott (who had his last science course in high school) wants to talk to me about that sort of thinking, well, I don't really think he gets it. But that discussion is for another time.

Is it fair to the real writers out there, the ones who have studied and worked and really committed to it? Is it fair that I am swooping in: "Oh, I'm a writer now." "Yeah, I suppose tomorrow you'll be Princess Buttercup. Try doing this for a while, sweetheart. Stay up all night worrying about which tense verb you used. Please. You know nothing about nothing." 

So, maybe I'm a writer-ish.