Just do it!

Formal education cannot give us creativity of expression, cannot impart talent, cannot make us skilled writers. What makes a writer is the act of 'doing'. To write we actually need to unlearn spelling and punctuation, forget grammar, and put aside all our assumptions about good and bad writing. Forget everything you have learned and stop thinking! Just write. Just do it.

I know what you're thinking now; a few of my posts here have been about punctuation and grammar, and I've spoken about forms of writing, and so on. But that's all 'after' the act of actually writing. The first draft, the 'story' you're passionate about, the thing you want to say, should be spilled onto the page or pages without recourse to your editor.

When you come to write, just do it; sit down, stop thinking, and write. Forget what anyone has ever said to you about writing, just do it. After you have put it all down, no matter what order or form it's in, then it will be time time for you to tidy it up.

If you can't stop thinking, begin with what you are thinking, even if it's rubbish. Just write, and keep on writing. Just do it. Before you know it you will find yourself writing without thinking and when you stop, there it will be, the story you wanted to write. Of course, it will need work, but it will have passion, it will be what you wanted to say, and it will be sincere.

If you still have problems, write down in a list all the negative thoughts that come into your mind. Banish them to your list, then screw the list up and throw it in the bin.

Just do it; just write.