I’ve struggled with self-editing, imposter syndrome, and writer’s block off and on since I started writing fiction in 2015. Recently, I’ve found that entering writing competitions (like the excellent NYC Midnight and Writing Battle) help me to focus and work “within the frame” which cuts down on decision paralysis. The frames in these competitions are numerous–usually a short window of writing time (weekend), a defined genre, and one or two other defined writing prompts, and they all help me to narrow down the scope of “all possible stories” and find a story that I’m excited to tell.

That leads me to the single most important step that has helped me begin my writing journey. It’s Step one:

write.

Write often, and don’t be afraid to get things down on paper. Revising, rewriting, editing can come later. But if a story stays in your head, it’s not where you can see it. And if you can’t see it, you can’t improve it. And you certainly can’t share it.