Writing is a great pursuit, but many first-time writers find that it’s not as easy as they think. But not to worry, we are here to make the road a little less bumpy if not smooth.

1. First things first, determine your topic. Your starting point will guide character development and your overall plot. To start with, you could begin with a story, use personal experience, or consider a hot topic.

2. Read daily. Writers are usually avid readers. Reading can help you learn about the nuances of written language, storytelling, and character development. Set aside an hour or two daily for reading.

3. Write religiously. Writing is a serious skill that needs to be honed. Set aside time every day to write. Make it part of your daily routine, and protect that time as much as you can. By having it scheduled into your day, you can overcome the frustration and delays of writer’s block.

4. Consider Writing Exercises. If you find that getting started with writing is hard for you, consider some basic writing exercises. Writing prompts to get your ideas flowing can be the start of compelling writing as you create your own writing style. Writing exercises can help you learn the importance of the first sentence of your story or the development of your characters.

5. Embrace your critics. A good writer can make an interesting story out of nothing. A great writer can do the same thing, then learn from critics to make the writing even better. Whether in a writing class, on social media, or in the proofreading stages, have people read and critique your writing. Accept criticism and use it to grow. Sometimes, you will gain new insight into how you can make your writing better. Sometimes, you will ignore the critics and allow your writing to stand.

When writing a book or short story, don’t focus on perfection at the start. Get your ideas down and polish your storylines and character development, not necessarily the writing and grammar. This comes later when you proofread your work.

Your first draft is the place to get the story going. After you complete that draft, go back and edit it. Make it more powerful, fix your shortcomings and try to perfect it, but only after the main ideas are complete.

Remember, striving for perfection with the first draft is sure to create writer’s block. Move past it by understanding you can perfect it later.