Dear

AUTHOR,

Aspiring

Hey. Hi there. I'm writing this letter because, way back when, I needed someone to write it to me. Hi there, aspiring author. I see you. I see those big dreams you have. HOW FANTASIC. How FABULOUS to dream that big---to want to reach for the stars. If I can give you one tool today---one thing to remember as you start on this journey towards your dreams, it's this: don't give up. Whatever your journey looks like, don't give up. They sound like simple words, but they are not. They are the hardest words you may ever have to enact. Know this, whatever challenges and blockages you face, YOU ARE STRONGER. Believe in yourself. Believe in your talent. You weren't given gifts to hide them. You were given them for a reason.

1) Be Yourself & Allow Your Writing To Showcase Your Unique Voice.

Finding your voice when you're just starting writing can be hard. My advice? Write as often as you can. As you play around with it and have fun with your writing, you'll start to notice consistencies about it. For me, I have a certain rhythm I follow and I love EM dashes. You'll see yours. These things are unique to you. Like a fingerprint. Instead of editing them out, enhance them. Show them off like your tail feathers. Your unique voice is something to cherish. You aren't like other writers for a reason. Your voice is meant to stand out. Remember that.

2) Forget The Rules... Sometimes.

I am not saying forget grammar completely (unfortunately haha). Study grammar. It should be your friend and something you understand. Because, when you understand it, you learn when and how to break it. For emphasis. For meaning. For extra...oomph. ...See what I did there? ;P (If you're lost, I broke the grammar rules for emphasis...and you might want to grab a grammar book, friend. <3)

3) Write Like A Kid Always.

As writers, we write A LOT. Sometimes, it can come to feel like a chore because we have certain writing goals we want to reach...or we become too serious about the task and freak ourselves out before even putting the pen to paper. Remember to write like a kid---with the same excitement and vigor you had when you were younger (when you probably wrote as well). What makes you dream? Why do you love writing so much? Allow yourself to be silly on the page. Some of my silliest jottings have turned into the best most reader-loved scenes.

4) Ditch Comparison.

They say comparison is a thief, and it is. It'll steal your contentment. Don't compare yourself to other authors, although it is very tempting. Everyone is different. Everyone's journey looks different. Everyone's writing is (yep, you guessed it!) different. That means yours is too. There's nothing to compare, so CUT IT OUT!!!!!

5) Keep Going. Don't Give Up.

This really is the cardinal rule. Don't give up. The writing life is not always an easy one, but it can be filled with so much joy if you just keep going. You never know when your lucky streak is going to happen. You never know what is right around the corner. If you stop now, you might miss it! Don't let that happen!

WORDS

Of Encouragement to
get you started...

About My

JOURNEY.

Author

SOMETIMES, WHEN WE HEAR ANOTHER'S STORY, IT HELPS US NAVIGATE OUR OWN. ...You know, I'd written from a young age. I'd studied all about writers, writing and grammar. I tried to follow all the "rules", thinking if I followed all the "rules" and got it "right", that I'd be taken seriously.

Fast forward to getting fed up with my dream and throwing out five novels. Fast forward to restarting writing...writing 50 books, taking every step of the publishing on single-handedly (just me, myself and I because I didn't have any money to put into it)... Fast forward to getting a publishing contract... Following the "rules" got me nowhere. Following my heart got me everywhere . Forget trying to prove yourself in the industry. Prove yourself to yourself. Write about emotions that scare you. Dive deep. Be yourself. Be authentic. Play with it. ...And just see what happens.

People will tell your journey should look like this:

But this is what it really looks Like.