It’s Monday, start of another week, start it off right! I’m trying to at least. I’m getting my first novel, Grave Beginnings, ready for a print release and more! Book Two is sitting in editing while I write on a new novel/series, my third fiction novel. But before writing on my novel for the day, I wanted to sit down, collect my thoughts, and share them with you awesome people!

Okay blarghers, so what’s on my mind? Glad you didn’t ask, but probably wondered? Success. That’s right. Now today isn’t the day to talk about/define all of that. It means different things to different people. But to get it, you have to start! Whatever it is you want to do, achieve in life, you have to start. So today, this post is about that, getting started. We all have things we’d like to accomplish, goals to see realized and art to be created. To get anywhere substantial in/with those things, we have to start. And starting is the scariest thing out there.

Why?

The unknown. The human brain and the imagination. The unknown scares, our imagination plays to and on those fears. It’s the what if game? What if I fail, what if I don’t know what I’m doing, what if, what if—WOAH SLOW DOWN. How about you stop running ahead of yourself and focus on the here and now.

What if….you just started? What if you didn’t worry about things until the time came? Hm? Nifty huh!? Because for me, I do that a lot. It throws me off my groove and goals. Talking from experience here. Sometimes it pays to just sit down, shut up, and do what you want to/need to do.

Just start.

For writers that means putting words to paper. Outlining, brainstorming or just starting depending on what kind of pantser writer you are. And those are all fine. But remember, momentum builds. Not just in stories, but in success. It’s hard for me to see it sometimes because I only have one book out…but then again, I only have one book out. What if I had two? Or three?! Or Twenty!? See what I’m saying? To get there, I not only have to start writing each and every book, but I have to just start, all the way at the beginning and learn as I go.

And that’s the greatest thing! Why? Because we can all learn! It’s part of being human. We’re not born with the answers, but we do have the ability to get the answers as we go along and learn. We grow through mistakes, that’s how you learn. Success teaches you nothing. Failure teaches you everything. And having the right attitude helps. It’s a mindset plus work. Not one or the other. There are no secrets. Just time, and lots of hard work. More good things because guess what? You can do those things!

Yes you can!

It’s about starting and finishing, and repeating. It’s cyclical. You’ll fall on the way, and that’s okay. You slow down, make mistakes, but that’s okay. You can fix ’em. You will fix ’em and you will grow. That’s how you get anything done. It’s like riding a bike. You fall, get scuffed, and learn how to find your sense of balance. Because everyone’s sense of balance is difference.

Take the time to start, start, keep going and find YOUR balance. Then it’s just a matter of rinse and repeat. I know it’s easier said than done. But don’t think it’s easy for me to say. Because it’s not. I’m saying this because I too, struggle with these things. And that’s okay. That’s why I’m here at the beginning of my journey, doing this, cataloging my career this way I guess.

We’re on this road together. And that’s awesome. Because it means you fellow readers, writers, blarghers and more, are on this ride with me. We will learn and grow together. Just remember, all you have to do is start. So let me help you with that.

Start!

You have an idea, so ask yourself what it is? It could be a brand new story, the next or first chapter, a line or a word. What is it? Do you know? You do? Great. So write it down on paper. Go, now, don’t come back here until you do.

*Waiting…* Man these elevators have weird music.

Oh yeah, you’re back. Good! Now that you’ve got that written down, guess what? Rinse—repeat. If you’re writing for the day, then write the next word down, the next whatever and keep going. You can form paragraphs, and pages and chapters. Just start with something. Start!

Editing comes later, don’t second guess, don’t doubt, just write and rush. I give you permission to be swept up by all the wonderful words and worlds you can create. You have my permission to get lost, go crazy and have fun. You have my permission to write.

START WRITING THIS MONDAY.

START WRITING NOW!