I think I want to be an author…perhaps I’ll write a book or two.

It’s great to want to do something special in life, and be someone who is noticed and appreciated. Many people work towards traditional goals while others pursue their passion. Nothing is right, and nothing is wrong…it’s about choosing your options and sticking to your guns. An author is a keen observer, a good listener, and a practiced hand at shaping ideas into words.

Wait…should I write what I feel or feel what I write?

When you’re starting out, just write what comes to you naturally. It could be a joke, a quote, a few deep thoughts, or maybe just a brief description of your day. It could be an emotion you felt, or just a conversation you had with an interesting person you met. Writing doesn’t need a reason, it just needs to be done. You’ll slowly discover yourself as a writer.

When this book becomes a bestseller, I shouldn’t mingle with common folk anymore.

Optimism without realization will lead you into the dungeons of discontent. Being hopeful about the future is wonderful, but don’t build your castles on quicksand. Take each day as it comes, and feel triumphant with each step you take. Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor were the careers of bestselling authors. There’s no road to limelight without hard work and determination.

Okay…this first line sucks…it really really sucks…

Time and tide wait for none, but you’ll definitely have to wait and be extra patient with yourself. Beginnings are always tough, but don’t get stuck waiting for the right words, or wishing for the best ideas. Just start writing, and keep moving forward. They’re your words, and they’ll always bow to your command.

Finally…two pages, this shouldn’t take too long. I’ll wrap this book up by lunchtime.

While it’s not good to be overly cautious, it’s even worse to be a happy-go-lucky fool. Writing is a tedious process, and like any other job it needs to be executed with care and finesse. You must set short term goals and achieve them on a daily basis. Getting through the first draft is simply the beginning of some serious editing and revisions. If you’re looking for shortcuts then please look the other way.

Could you let me concentrate?!! $*%@# Stop breathing so loud! Why don’t I just kill you!!

At times, writing is a very lonely and frustrating job. It takes hours of focus and single-minded devotion to churn out the best in you. Though quiet and solitude are ideal for an author’s concentration, being able to give your best in not so ideal situations is also a skill that must be developed. Unless your planning to move to another planet, get used to writing amidst people and normal chaos.

Three drinks just made the words blurry, not better. So much for a creative high…*hicc*!

Looking for ways to enhance your creativity without increasing your reading and writing hours is equivalent to living in a fool’s paradise. Many people will surely vouch for and suggest many ways to boost the hidden writer in you. But you are the best judge of yourself, and frivolous advice will only lead you away from the more logical and reliable techniques. Read more and write more!

Hey…my favorite TV show’s on. This can wait till tomorrow, or maybe next year. Authors are so overrated anyways…

Procrastination is the devil that wants to burn your thoughts and then dance on their ashes. It’s NOW or NEVER might sound a bit too extreme, but it’ll save you from hours of avoidance, and finding excuses that’ll keep you away from the struggle of unleashing the subdued writer within you. Taking short breaks is a good thing, but just don’t break away from your dreams and ambitions.

All thoughts and expressions are the author’s own, and that’s that.