IN THE BEGINNING: WHERE TO START WHEN YOU WANT TO WRITE.

Whenever I tell someone I 'm a published author or that I've written movies it seems to always be followed up with "Really? I wanted to write a book (or movie, or tv show, or whatever it is this person is interested in) but I don't think I can." This always bothers me because I believe that anyone can write. What separates those that do from those that don't is a very thin line.

I'm going to help you cross that line right now with a few tips that should get you ready to write like there is no tomorrow!

This first one might seem like a no brainer but it is the truest thing I can say. If you want to write you first have to READ. Just like chefs have to know what food taste like in order to make it, writers need to know what its like to read. Read all the time. Read as much as you can. If there is a certain genre you'd like to write in then you need to be reading in that genre as well. It helps you to understand what you're readers look for and could also help you develop your 'voice' as well.

I remember when I wrote my first book, I did it partially because I hadn't seen another book out there like it. I wrote it because it was something I wanted to read and that is the next important tip. Don't write for anyone but yourself. It is your story and no one can tell it better than you! Often times I've run into people that want to write whats popular but doing that and not staying true to yourself will only result half assed work. When you write from the heart its the best feeling and writing is all about feeling.

Speaking of feeling, it is important to make sure that when you're writing, the reader FEELS something for the characters they are reading about. No one wants to read a book or watch a movie and not care about what's going on. (I'll talk more about how to make people feel all kinds of feelings in the future, don't worry!) Think about the last movie you watched and something happened to one of the characters and you reacted. Maybe you yelled at the screen or perhaps your heart began to race, or maybe you cried. Whatever it was you FELT something and that is what good story telling should do.

You know the saying 'practice makes perfect', right? Of course you do! Writing is just like anything else and even if you have a knack for it, practice can only help make you better. Learn to be consistent so that even when you don't feel like writing you're still a beast! I try to write for at least one hour every day. (I might take the weekends off, I won't lie.) Doing that helps me keep the juices flowing and even if I'm just researching (which some of you will do a TON of!) I'm in front of my computer making a difference. You've got to allow yourself to be great and making the sacrifice will do just that. There are twenty four hours in a day, you can carve out one for your dreams.

I think I'm gonna stop right there for now. I'll be posting more tips in the weeks to come. If there is anything else you might want to know, feel free to shoot me a message. Until next time!

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