Dear Young Writer: Advice to Your Younger Self

This is a letter I wish had been written to me when I began my writing career nearly seven years ago: Dear young writer... I know it hasn't been easy. I know you've been discouraged. I know you've considered giving writing up all together.

From Jeff: This is a guest post by my friend Edward Paz. Edward is a pastor, speaker, and writer. I am a big fan of his. He wrote this post at my request, and it was inspired by the "Dear College Me" campaign. You can follow Edward on his blog and via Twitter (@edwardpaz).

This is a letter I wish had been written to me when I began my writing career nearly seven years ago.

Dear young writer...

I know it hasn't been easy. I know you've been discouraged. I know you've considered giving writing up all together.

But because I knew this day would one day come, today...

I want to encourage you. I want to uplift your spirits. I want to make you aware of three things I hope you will never forget.

(Please read through the rest of this letter carefully, every word was carefully selected to encourage you to become the writer you were destined to become.)

First,

Let me remind you: You are, indeed, a writer.

I know you have a hard time believing it, but it's true. You feel joy when you write. You feel satisfaction when you write. You feel alive when you write.

This makes you a writer.

Accept it.

Second,

Your writing will improve.

It will become more clear. It will become more concise. It will become more convicting.

But it will only become these things when it has become this thing: Consistent.

Believe it.

Third,

Your writing will bless more people than you can imagine.

It will challenge. It will encourage. It will inspire.

It will, one day, be the only source of life to a generation of people who are surrounded by death.

Envision it.

You are, indeed, a writer. Your writing will improve. Your writing will bless more people than you can imagine.

This is the truth.

But you will only experience the depth of these truths by following this very simple advice:

Keep writing.

Sincerely,

The writer you will one day become.

***

What advice would you give your younger self? Feel free to join the Twitter hashtag conversation #DearCollegeMe. Share in the comments.

*Photo credit: Flickr (Creative Commons)