“I’m going to write a book someday” is a frequent statement heard by every editor, agent, or published author. I tend to believe the sentiment, but that is where it ends for many–a sentiment.

A survey done for Thriftbooks in late 2021 (link here) found that more than half of the respondents thought they had an idea for a novel. Of those, six percent were halfway done, and eight percent were finished. That means, of the other 86%, quite a number have yet to begin.

Sounds to me that one of the keys to writing your book is to start writing it. That may seem a silly thing to suggest, especially to this audience; but there is method to that obvious advice.

For those writing fiction, remember there is a craft to good storytelling. Everything from pace to characterization to dialogue to setting. Each piece creates a tapestry. It’s not easy, but it can be fun! A number of novelists try their hand at flash fiction or short stories (not necessarily for publication) to get a feel for the craft.

In nonfiction, consider short-form writing first: articles, blogs, guest posts, and more. Dozens of successful writers developed their writing by starting small. These shorter pieces can be used to attract readers and build a platform. Often nonfiction puts the author in a position of being a Subject-Matter Expert, a go-to person on a particular area of interest.

But none of this can happen until you start. How about today?

Stumped on where to start? JournalBuddies.com has a list of 64 writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing. (Example: “If the color blue could speak, what would it say?”)