Yes, many times and for many years. What stops me the most is self doubt. I start over-analyzing and overly criticizing things as I write them. The best advice I can give is to ignore those voices and just keep moving. To me, the important first step is completing something. You'll have time to tweak, rework, and alter it afterwards. But if you juggle those things WHILE writing it, you'll get in your own way.
I feel like realistic and relatable characters are what make great works stand out. Letting their unique personalities shine, sometimes with good banter or interplay, is key to a great story. Things like action scenes are secondary.
Keep fearlessly writing. Never stop dreaming. Your older self might take his sweet time doing it, but he will fulfill your dream of being a published author!
I've been writing since I was a kid. Science fiction and fantasy like Star Wars, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Blade Runner...all inspired me. I started writing my own fantasy series, which was hugely inspired by D&D stuff like the Forgotten Realms, as a pre-teen and into my teens.
Try to always keep it a passion. Don't put stress on yourself for the sake of it, because then writing will feel like "work". Be realistic with deadlines, particularly self-imposed ones. And most of all, don't let self doubt slow or stop you -- just keep writing. Finish something -- there will be time to tweak and improve it later.
