Here’s Your Sign To Just Get Started!
Everyone has something that’s important to them–and that’s why we write.
You may be a student, a teacher, or a writer who just wants to get better at their craft. You might have been inspired by someone else’s work and want to emulate it in some way. You could even be someone who is just starting out in life and looking for advice on how best to do things, like achieving your dreams or finding love (or both). Whatever your reason, there are plenty of reasons why people choose writing as an outlet for expression and creativity.
Just Get Started!
It’s a good idea to start small, and just get started. If you’re new at this, there’s no reason not to write a short story or poem or even a blog post (that’s what I did). You don’t need anyone else’s approval; no one will know or care if your writing isn’t perfect at first. Everyone has something that’s important to them–and that’s why they write! So find the thing that matters most in your life right now and write about it until something clicks for you as an author.
Writing is Hard Sometimes.
It’s a skill that takes time to develop, and it can be difficult for many people because of the creative process involved. Writing is also difficult because it’s a solitary process; you have to be honest with yourself and other people when writing, which can make some writers feel vulnerable or exposed.
You Should Write Anyway.
Writing is a great way to express yourself. It’s therapeutic, it can help you find your voice, and it can also help you learn more about yourself and the world around you.
When I started writing as a child, I didn’t really think of myself as someone who could write something important or meaningful–I just wanted to have fun! But over time I discovered that by putting pen (or keyboard) to paper (or screen), my thoughts become clearer; I’m able to make sense of things in my life that would otherwise remain confusing or unclear; and when those moments come together with some good old fashioned practice…well then we’ve got ourselves something special: A writer!
You Can't Edit If You Don't Have Something To Work With.
You need to write a first draft and get it out of your head and onto the page so that you can see what works and what doesn’t.
When I was learning how to draw as an adult, my teacher told me something that really stuck with me: “Don’t be afraid of making mistakes.” As someone who had been trying unsuccessfully for years before finally learning how to draw, this was huge advice! It helped me relax into my process instead of worrying about getting everything right from the start (which never happens anyway).
First Drafts Are Meant To Be Trashed.
The first draft is meant to be trashed. It’s okay to write a first draft that you don’t like, and it’s even more important to do so when you’re new at this. A lot of people get hung up on their first drafts because they aren’t proud of them or think they’re not good enough. But the only way to get better at writing is by putting words on paper (or screen), so if your first attempt isn’t great, don’t let that stop you from continuing!
I’ve found that my most successful pieces have been written after several drafts–and often after many years of practice in between those drafts as well. The best part about writing is that no one can tell what comes next except for yourself; there are no rules except those which we make ourselves as writers and readers alike.
Just Start Writing, Even If It's Terrible At First.
The best way to get over your fear of writing is to write, even if it’s terrible at first. Don’t worry about the quality of your writing or how long it takes to write or what other people will think about your work. Don’t worry about the future or past either–just focus on getting started now.
Don't Fear Failure; Embrace It And Learn From It.
You’re going to fail. It’s inevitable. The only question is how much you’re going to learn from it, and how quickly you’ll get back up after falling down.
Failure is a natural part of learning, especially when you’re trying something new or challenging yourself in some way. If you never fail, then that means that either A) no one else can do what they’re doing better than you (which isn’t likely) or B) there’s something wrong with your attitude towards failure itself–that maybe it means something negative about who or what we are as people instead of just being an inevitable part of life as we grow and learn through trial and error.”
Start Small, But Start Now!
You need to start small. Don’t worry about what will happen next, or how it will turn out, or what other people think of your writing. Just get started!
The best way to do this is by setting a goal you can achieve in one sitting: write for 30 minutes, write 500 words or 1 page (whichever comes first), and just get something down on paper or into the computer screen that says “I wrote today.”
That might sound like a lot of pressure–after all, there are whole books written by authors who took years working on their craft before publishing anything. But remember: those authors also started out with small goals and built up their confidence from there!
Just Get Started And Don't Worry About What Will Happen Next.
You don’t need to know exactly where you’re going or how the story will end before you start writing because those things will become clear as you write. Just write down your first idea for a scene or character, even if it doesn’t make sense yet (and it probably won’t). Then keep going! When in doubt, just keep writing. The more time passes without making any progress on your book project, the harder it becomes to find motivation again–so get into the habit of making consistent progress every day by putting pen(cil) to paper (or fingers on keyboard).
In Conclusion, the only way you’re going to get better at writing is by actually doing it. The worst thing that can happen is that you’ll write something terrible and then learn from it. The best thing that can happen is that you might even enjoy the process! So go ahead and start writing now–and don’t worry about what will happen next.
Written by Jessica Cassick, M.S., PhD(c)
Jessica Cassick is the CEO of ImagineWe Publishers (Est. 2016), a single mother, a writer, a scholar, and a published author of most of the original children’s Mission Books published in 2018. She uses her writing talent to explore and research a plethora of topics across the publishing world as well as on sense-of-self building, post-traumatic growth, and success. She is a passionate entrepreneur who previously lived life in fast-forward; achieving as many goals as possible with a future-focused mindset. She is now learning to slow down and find balance and peace in the present.
