Hey! If you’ve recently decided to become a writer, first of all, welcome. Glad you decided to join the cohort of thousands of people who want to get the story that has been floating around in their minds, into a tangible book.
Seriously.
Writing is one of the most exciting, frustrating, emotional, rewarding, confusing, beautiful creative paths a person can choose. One minute you feel like a genius. The next minute you’re questioning every sentence you’ve ever written.
That’s normal.
And despite what social media may tell you, most new writers don’t actually need a perfectly curated writing desk, a thousand-dollar laptop, or a complicated 47-step productivity system to get started.
What new writers actually need is much simpler and much more important.
Here’s the truth about what every new writer really needs when starting their journey.
1. A Writing Habit (Even a Small One)
You do not need to write 5,000 words a day.
You do not need to wake up at 4 AM.
You do not need to “grind.”
What you do need is consistency.
Writing is a skill built through repetition. Small daily writing sessions matter far more than occasional bursts of motivation.
Even:
- 200 words a day
- 15 minutes of writing
- One page before bed
…can completely change your growth over time.
A writing habit builds momentum. Momentum builds confidence.
And confidence keeps you going when the excitement wears off.
2. Permission to Be Bad at First
This is the part most new writers struggle with.
Your first drafts will probably be messy. Your dialogue may feel awkward. Your pacing might be uneven. Some scenes may completely fall apart.
That does not mean you aren’t a writer.
It means you’re learning.
Every skilled author you admire once wrote terrible sentences too. The difference is they kept going long enough to improve.
The goal of the first draft isn’t perfection.
The goal is completion.
You can edit bad writing.
You cannot edit a blank page.
3. Books to Study, Not Just Consume
Reading matters.
But writers need to learn how to read differently.
Instead of only asking:
“Did I enjoy this book?”
Start asking:
- Why did this chapter work?
- Why did this scene make me emotional?
- How did the author create tension?
- Why am I attached to this character?
- How is the pacing structured?
Every book becomes a classroom when you study storytelling intentionally.
Some of your greatest writing breakthroughs will happen while reading someone else’s work.
4. A Place to Capture Ideas
Ideas are sneaky.
They show up:
- in the shower
- during work
- while driving
- at 2 AM
- halfway through another project
New writers need a reliable system for collecting ideas before they disappear.
That can be:
- a notebook
- a journal
- your notes app
- voice memos
- sticky notes
- a story bible
Your future self will thank you for writing things down.
5. Realistic Expectations
This one is important.
Most writers do not become successful overnight.
Most authors:
- struggle with doubt
- rewrite constantly
- spend years improving
- juggle life and creativity
- grow slowly over time
Social media often highlights the rare viral success stories while ignoring the thousands of writers quietly building careers one step at a time.
Writing is usually a long game.
And honestly? That’s okay.
Because becoming a writer isn’t only about the destination. It’s also about becoming the kind of person who keeps creating anyway.
6. A Little Bit of Structure
Creativity loves freedom — but writing also benefits from structure.
New writers often feel overwhelmed because they’re trying to hold entire worlds inside their heads.
Simple organization helps tremendously.
Things that help:
- character profiles
- plot outlines
- chapter notes
- timelines
- worldbuilding documents
- scene lists
You do not need to outline every detail, but having some structure can reduce creative chaos and help you actually finish projects.
7. Emotional Resilience
Nobody talks about this enough.
Writing can feel deeply personal because it is deeply personal.
You will likely experience:
- self-doubt
- imposter syndrome
- comparison
- creative burnout
- fear of judgment
- frustration with your own progress
This is part of the process for many writers.
The key is learning not to let temporary emotions convince you to quit permanently.
Some days you’ll love your work.
Some days you’ll hate every word.
Keep writing anyway.
8. Inspiration Outside of Writing
Ironically, good writing often comes from living life outside the keyboard.
Writers need:
- conversations
- experiences
- emotions
- music
- nature
- travel
- art
- films
- heartbreak
- joy
- observation
Stories are built from human experience.
The more deeply you engage with life, the richer your writing often becomes.
9. Community (Even a Small One)
Writing can feel isolating.
Having even one or two people who understand the creative process can make a huge difference.
This could look like:
- online writing communities
- critique groups
- author YouTube channels
- writing friends
- book clubs
- creative Discord servers
You don’t need a massive audience in the beginning.
Sometimes you just need encouragement from people who understand how hard creating something from nothing truly is.
10. The Courage to Keep Going
More than anything else, new writers need persistence.
Not talent alone.
Not aesthetics.
Not expensive software.
Persistence.
Because the writers who improve are usually the ones who continue through:
- awkward beginnings
- unfinished drafts
- rejection
- slow growth
- uncertainty
Writing is rarely about feeling ready.
It’s about deciding to continue anyway.
Final Thoughts
At the beginning of the journey, it’s easy to believe you need more tools, more validation, more followers, or more experience before calling yourself a writer.
But honestly?
If you write… you’re already a writer.
Everything else is just growth, practice, and time.
So start the story.
Write the messy draft.
Take the imperfect first step.
Because every author you admire once stood exactly where you are now, staring at a blank page and hoping the words would come.
Shariea D. Williams