I wrote and illustrated my first little books at the age of 4, probably encouraged by my mum. I have always loved reading, since a very young age, and I always had an idea that I wanted to write a book...but for many years thought it would never happen! I started writing again a couple of years ago (2020), inspired by some online Masterclass videos by successful authors, and I have been writing full-time since last summer.
Don't be afraid to get things down onto the page, however good or bad you feel it is. It's more important to get things out and get the creativity process flowing - no one has to ever read what you've written if you don't like it, you can come back and edit and refine as many times as you like until you're happy with it! But just get the flow going and it'll help the momentum to kick in.
Also, complete something without seeking absolute perfection - done is better than perfect. You'll get a lot more experience that way, once you start inviting feedback and learning more about the publishing process through doing. That's not to say not to pay attention to quality, of course - that's very important – but there’s a balance to be struck.
One thing that I’ve recently been learning to deal with better is negative critique. Negative feedback is scary, and can hurt, but it’s good to think of it as free advice on how to improve and get better as a writer. In some ways, that's better than someone just telling you you're doing all the right things. There is always room for improvement. And it's all part of the fun!
