Hello, writer. Yes, you—the one staring at the blinking cursor, wondering if your story matters. I want to tell you something from one writer to another:

It does.

You do.

And the world needs your words more than you think.

When I first started writing, I was overwhelmed by doubts. What if no one reads this? What if it's terrible? What if I’m just wasting my time?

But here's what I learned—and what I hope you'll hold close as you start your own writing journey:

1. You Don’t Need Permission to Begin

 You don’t need an MFA, a publishing deal, or a thousand followers to call yourself a writer. If you’re writing, you are a writer. Start messy. Start scared. Just start. As soon as you are in front of your computer writing, you are the writer. The Expert.  Believe it and fake it till you make it. And you will make it!

2. First Drafts Are Supposed to Be Ugly

 Perfection is the enemy of progress. Give yourself the freedom to write badly. Trust me, the magic is in the rewriting, not the first draft.

3. Routine Beats Motivation

 Motivation comes and goes—but a simple, sustainable routine will carry you through. Even 200 words a day adds up to a novel in less than a year. Show up, even when you don’t feel like it.

4. Your Voice Is Unique

 There is no one else who can tell your story the way you can. Don’t compare your journey to others. Embrace your weird. Lean into your quirks. That’s where the gold is.

5. Publishing Is a Long Game

 If you’re hoping to publish—self, indie, or traditional—remember it’s not a race. Keep learning, keep writing, and most importantly, keep believing. Some of my best story ideas came years after I wrote my first book. The important thing is keep writing! Don't stop with the first book. While not everyone will love your book, and that's ok. But a lot of people will like your book and they will want to read every word you've written. Don't disappoint your fans and only give them the taste of one book! While you are finishing up one book, you should have two more of them in your head. Before long, you will have such a well-developed catalog (your collection of books) readers will have a wide variety of reads and everyone is happy!

6. Write the Book You Want to Read

 Not what’s trending. Not what someone says will sell. The stories that matter most are the ones that come from the heart. If it excites you, terrifies you, or makes you feel something big—chase it.

7. Write what you know

Your first book may not be the book of your dreams, and that's okay. Chalk it up to learning the publishing process. So, in the meantime, write about what you know. Your first book doesn't have to have the word count of War & Peace. It can simply be an article, a short story, fan fiction, a novella...so may different ways to write.  Doing this will get you over the self-doubt and fear. I always tell people the first time you do something, it is always the hardest. After you write once, it get easier.

One Last Thing…

Writing is not just about creating books. It’s about discovering who you are, connecting with others, and leaving behind a piece of your soul on the page. And that’s a brave, beautiful thing.

So please, keep going. Keep writing. Keep dreaming.

The world is waiting to hear your story.

With all my support,

Jennifer Ahmed

 Author of Awake, Spirals, Utopia, and more