seemed so risque when I was 13.

My best friends and I had dozens of sleepovers it never failed that we’d end up staying up late and writing the worst stories together. We’d each take turns typing and giggle our way through everything from an action scene to romance and back again. In true teenage melodramatic fashion we always wound up getting guys out of trouble, saving the day, fixing our hair, AND growing up rich and stylish.

The lessons learned? Writing at ANY time can be massive amounts of fun – it doesn’t always have to be serious, it isn’t always meant to be read again, and it doesn’t have to be anything a publisher would even get a glimpse of, let alone actually read. Write for yourself, write for fun, write yourself out of a rut. Create a character you believe in and let your imaginary friend live inside your stories…

Also, realize that a lot of the stuff you write, no matter HOW terrible, is actually better than some of the stuff that’s on the shelves today.