1. You’re never so good at writing that you don’t need to practice, learn, or grow.

2. Sharing your work publicly isn’t optional.

3. It doesn’t matter how “bad” you think it is. Submit it. You have nothing to lose but your fear of failing.

4. Learn how to write from people writing better than you.

5. You can exercise and strengthen your creativity even when you’re not writing.

6. Write nonsense until it starts making sense.

7. The more life experience you have, the more diverse your writing will become.

8. You can write about what you don’t know. As long as you make an effort to learn as you go.

9. Find people who believe in you, because you won’t always believe in yourself.

10. You will never fall completely apart as long as you have words to hold you together.

11. You are you because you write. Stop writing, and you stop being who you are.

12. You never forget the people who build you up and help you grow. No matter what, they will always be with you.

This world isn’t the same without you. Thank you for teaching me my dreams mattered and that I mattered too. Seven years without being able to share my successes with you hurts every single day, and always will.

Meg is the creator of Novelty Revisions, dedicated to helping writers put their ideas into words. She is an editor and writer, and a 12-time NaNoWriMo winner. Follow Meg on Twitter for tweets about writing, food, and Star Wars.

Help Novelty Revisions become a more valuable resource for aspiring writers.  Join us on Patreon.