I am only twenty-seven but still it has been a long and challenging journey of learning, integrating into the greater writing community and working towards sharing my writing with the world. It has often been a lonely journey, and for alot of it I have had to figure out the way on my own. My mission is to make the first steps for other young and/or beginner writers much easier than my own.
1. Join A Writers Group.
It is a great feeling having a support network of like-minded people around you. My group meets for two hours one Saturday a month, to discuss writing opportunities and to share pieces of our own writing for feedback from other members. Our leader also sets us a writing challenge for the next month, like writing a short story or submitting to a competition.
2. Set Yourself A Writing Routine.
Set yourself a routine that you are confident you will be able to follow alongside your other commitments. Sometimes I am only able to do ten minutes before dinner. Even with that short contribution, I know I have done something to contribute to my goal. Life is busy. There’s nothing more to it. You must make the time to write.
3. Set Goals, And Then Set Micro-Goals
Writing anything is a big job. It is a good idea to set a large goal, and then set smaller internal goals focused on weekly and daily tasks to make the process managable. For example, you might like to focus on writing a certain number of words in a day. Breaking down the process into smaller steps will help it to seem less daunting, and give you a sense of achievement along the way. Remember how you eat an elephant: one step at a time!
Kate Kelsen 