There’s that one story that you’ve had in a drawer at the back of your mind for ages. It’s going to be the greatest project ever. It may get you that agent who hasn’t bitten the hook yet, shoot your print to the front of every bookstore across the globe, and make that startling collision of your work arriving into the literary world. You’ll have finally reached that place in your life as a published author, and God won’t that be amazing?

But you haven’t started that work yet, have you? You probably think:

But I want it to be great, perfect, and I’m not there as a writer yet to do it.

Yes, you are. You already are.

You know the saying “you’re never really ready, so if you wait, it’ll never happen?”

Okay, that mostly is said about people wanting to have kids, which I won’t get into, but I believe the saying does accurately apply to writing. See, writing is a lot like physical activity but for your mental physique. Running, for instance; read all you want, watch tutorials by marathoners, talk to those with experience, but you’ll never become great at running though until you actually start running. Run, runner, run!

Or write, writer, write!

But what if the book isn’t as great as you’d like it to be?

That’s what editing is for. A mentor of mine rewrites his works (academic/cultural study texts) at least eleven times, and he has due dates to meet. If you are not under the crushing weight of a timeline, don’t let yourself be too scared to get started. It’s the fear of writing that sets the bold line between writers and those who wish they were writers. Writing is the key, and if you are working on smaller projects, which is great, but there’s that one ultimate book/novel/novella/story you feel intimidated to begin, do what you know and start!

Your characters are waiting to be written. Their stories need to be told and you are their only way. Don’t deny them, their trials, their existence. Start sketching them, plot their lives and adventures, and do yourself the favor by not holding back a word.