The next thing I want to talk about is a simple tip for writers who haven’t found their footing yet, especially new writers.

When you want to write, you don’t have to sit down and wrestle with your imagination or force brilliance out of thin air. Sometimes, the best place to begin is simply where you are.

Look around you. Start from anything.

More importantly, start from yourself.

If you don’t understand yourself, if you’re not aware of your thoughts, your emotions, your patterns enough, it becomes difficult to truly express anything beyond you. Before you can write about people, society, or experiences, you must first learn how to interpret and organize your own inner world.

Self-awareness is the foundation.

Pay attention to your environment as well. Notice the mundane things, the ordinary, overlooked, and seemingly insignificant details. Even if you don’t end up writing about them, the act of observing sharpens your mind as a writer.

And even if you do write and never publish it, that’s fine. Not everything you write has to be seen. Some things are meant to train you, to build your voice, and help you grow.

Start small. Start close. Start real.

Don’t chase perfection and long paragraphs. Just put something down.

From there, you can begin to look outward.