To a true writer, writing is addictive. It’s not like we can throw away our pen and our creative ideas. They are part of who we are. This is why cats roll around on our keyboard. Without their shout for attention we would probably forget they existed, and hungry cats are sad cats. Our passion for writing is good, because it makes us eager to sculpt the perfect story. After all, a story will take some time and hard work.

Writing is also something that requires experience. Both reading and writing experience. As you keep your story to yourself, it really is just you and your characters in a lovely bubble. When you let others read it, the bubble goes boom. That’s very scary and exciting. The scary part can put pressure on you and that’s the last thing you want. Writing should be fun for you. Yes, it will be hard, and that’s okay. Not writing, however, is also okay. Torturing yourself over not writing will just make it more difficult to jump behind your laptop.

If you do manage to get yourself on the same page with your characters, there will be a moment that others read your story. Usually the voices of others aren’t the problem. It’s the voice inside your head that tells you that you can’t, or that it’s no use. It’s the voice that messes with your confidence to keep trying and therefore improving. If writing is like a muscle that needs training, isn’t the most dangerous thing to stop?

It takes some time to find out who you are as a writer and what your strenghts and weaknesses are. Learn from it and use it. Don’t let yourself be the reason that you quit.