How I Started Writing: My Journey as a Fiction Writer

Every writer has an origin story—the moment they first felt that spark to create something extraordinary. For me, that spark ignited in childhood, where a whiteboard and a wild imagination became my first canvas for storytelling.

My Earliest Writing

When I was little, I loved to draw characters on my dad’s whiteboard in little diagrams and tell their stories as I went along. Outlining was never a constant habit of mine. It just didn’t seem natural to me. It’s not like we could outline or plan our lives to the last detail before we were even born. No, we tell our stories as we experience them—all of the joyful ups and soul-crushing downs included.

Imagination has played a major role in my writing. By high school, I transitioned from drawing my little characters in tic-tac-toe-style comic strips to writing full short stories in Microsoft Word. Whenever I finished my work and had nothing to do in the last hour of class, I started a new document for my next story. 

Developing My Craft

Over time, I realized that writing wasn’t just something I did for fun—it was something I needed to do. Writing became a way for me to make sense of the world around me, to process emotions I didn’t know how to express out loud, and to explore the questions that kept me up at night.

I began reading more intentionally, not just for the plot, but to understand what made stories work. I experimented with different genres, styles, and perspectives. Some stories fell flat. Some surprised me. But each one taught me something new—about voice, structure, pacing, and most of all, about myself.

Eventually, I started sharing my work with others, from school friends to professional editors in the publishing industry. It was terrifying at first—a kind of vulnerability that comes with exposing your imagination to the world. But the feedback, both kind and constructive, helped me grow faster than I ever could have on my own. I learned that writing isn’t a solitary pursuit. Community matters.

Where I Am Now

I still don’t outline much today, but I’ve learned how to listen to my stories better. I follow my instincts, trust my characters, and revise with intention. My process might look messy from the outside, but it’s honest. It's mine.

I’ve written countless short stories, completed a novel (or three as of this article), and studied the craft of editing so I can polish my work and help others tell their stories, too. I still have a long way to go, but I’m excited about that.

If you’re just beginning your writing journey, my biggest advice is this: start where you are. Don’t wait until you feel “ready.” You’ll never feel ready. But you are ready. Because if there’s a story tugging at you, begging to be told, then the writer in you is already awake.

Keep going. Your story matters.