This is the first in a series of posts with my advice for beginning writers.

I’m no expert, per se, but I’ve been writing for over 15 years, and I’ve studied literature and writing in grad school. If nothing else, maybe the fruit of my experience over that time is worth some small something.

The first thing to say is this: JUST WRITE. Don’t agonize. Don’t plan to write. Don’t expect a masterpiece.

WRITE. Read as much good writing as you possibly can, and WRITE. Yes, it’ll be awful. Expect it to be awful. Don’t let that bug you. You don’t have to show it to anyone! You really don’t, if you don’t want to.

Just write. Creative writing is art. The only way to ever make good art is to make bad art first.

Art is learned by doing. So just do it. Just write. It can be a short story, or a series of short stories. It can be a full-blown, bloated, horribly paced and plotted novel (that you will secretly love for the rest of your life.)

It doesn’t matter. Just write. Experiment with different genres or subgenres if you want. Have fun with it.

Above all, put in the practice and effort required to get better.