I have written only one other article on writing. Although I have written and published two books and more than 500 articles; I do not consider myself an expert on writing. The only thing of value that I believe I learned in school was four years of typing; it’s really paying off now. I slept through English; it is the one course I can now say I wish I had of paid attention to.

I am on two months leave of absence from work and I have created a habit of going to Chapters early in the morning and writing my articles there. I try different places from time to time to try and find the inspiration for my new book or an article. In the last two weeks I wrote six articles for “No Limits” magazine, and it’s about all the writing I have done lately.

I am 1 ½ years behind writing my third book. I wanted to write 10 books in 10 years. I have written very little in the last nine months and have ignored my web sites.

Most of the times when I decide to sit down and write I don’t really know what I am going to write about. If I can create a title first; I don’t have any problems writing. However, the process is agonizing and physically exhausting. My back is tied up in knots and it hurts. I am restless and fidgety. In the 10 years that I have been writing I have never started an article or book that I did not finish – it never fails. Still, I go through this torturous process. Once I get started it just flows and it has never let me down. It’s not even about writing the first line; it’s simply about getting started. My articles are usually 1000 to 2400 words each – not bad for someone with nothing to say.

I don’t know why I chose this time to write about writing, except maybe to help others who go through the same process or still others who never get started. I teach others how to start and I am always surprised at how surprised they are when they begin. Many have no idea of the talent that they keep hidden inside.

When I first sat down to write my very first article I wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to write about – it just came to me. And this is how it still works for me. After all the years of writing, it still surprises me that I can come up with anything at all. Most people fear that they do not have the knowledge of good grammar, punctuation, spelling and other skills to write – this stops many people from even trying.

I tell them that it doesn’t matter about those things. They can always go back and check it later or have someone proof read it – just let it come out not matter what it is. The computer spell checker works great most of the time. I have spent hundreds of dollars on programs that help. But it’s just not necessary to start writing. The only thing I would suggest is to write in paragraphs it’s easier to read and edit later. Don’t worry about whether they are correct breaks. If you write nothing, you are holding back any chance for expression – you are dying inside. There is a book already written in everyone just waiting for the moment for it to be brought to the surface.

By nature you are a creative being; you were born to imagine, create, and manifest your ideas into physical being.

For every book or article written there is at least one who is waiting to read it; even if it is you.

When I wrote my first published book I proof read it at least eight or more times. I read it twice more after it was proofed and twice more since it was published; but if you were to ask me about what’s in the book I would struggle to remember anything other than a general outline. It is the same for my second book.

For anyone who is following the “New Age” genre, there are no surprises. Most of what I have written about has already been published. The only difference is that it was done from my perspective and in my own words which have reached others who may not have understood while reading another author. That is the wonderful thing about being part of physical life. There are about 6 billion people doing the same thing differently. Every word ever spoken or written has been repeated many times over the millennia, but not in your way.

I have a fellow author who stumbled upon my website and she emailed me. She told me she was an author and had started a child’s book, but took a break from it. After visiting my site she was inspired to work on it some more. Some time later she emailed me back and said that she had visited a major book store looking for more inspiration.

After visiting the children’s section she became discouraged because there were hundreds of books there – why would anyone read hers? Why should she bother finishing a book that has so much competition; hers would surely get lost in the mountain of books already published? And besides, there is no reason to think that hers would ever get published.

I replied to her email and told her that there is one good reason – write it because you can, and because there is no other book published that has your name on it. Her book is unique even if the story was written many times before. It will never be exactly as any other, and she may reach a kid that the others missed. Her book may inspire a child for the rest of his/her life.

Not being able to write is no excuse, there are ghost writers who will do it for you. It’s all about the thought, the idea that needs to come out. A thought is not complete until it is experienced.

Having gone this far with this article I have realized that I am going through these doubts at this moment. I have written so much about my genre and I am looking to do something that is very unique. What I have done so far is a prelude to that – it is experience. When the time is right it will happen. All things happen at the correct time for a very specific purpose, not only for you, but for another as well.

You are of no service while you keep your creation inside – it must be expressed fully in the physical world.

The easiest way to start is to just start. Sit down with a blank paper and pen. Leave it idle on the table while you go inward and give it a few moments. Write down whatever comes to mind – it doesn’t matter what it is, anything at all. It doesn’t have to relate to anything. Try this, the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. Congratulations, you just became a writer. Now continue to do this again and again for as long as it takes – write your first thought, your second, third etc. Never force yourself, just let anything come out that comes across your mind. Eventually something will happen that may seem supernatural. The pen will just start flowing seemingly without any conscious effort from you. It may be something you know about or something far from your conscious mind. When you open the gates things start to move. Don’t fear it and try to stop; just let the words flow onto the paper.

Everyone has a story; I encourage all to start writing, painting, sculpting, baking or whatever is creative for you. Just let it happen – you are going to be greatly surprised.