The following article might end up reading less like a “best of” type of listicle and more like a fangirl trying to persuade you to get with her program. The writing program, that is.

I’m fun at parties, trust me.

With that said, let’s start with an introduction: hi, I’m a twenty-year-old aspiring author. There’s something funny about that- “aspiring author,” as if I’m not already. As if I don’t regularly bleed something more than blood on to the word processors installed on my laptop. Writing is more than just a thing for me. I can throw the words like “passions,” “life’s work,” or “obsession” around as if this were a football during the Super Bowl season, but the truth is: writing is my passion. It is my life’s work to find words for things I can’t express out loud. It is an obsession that I refuse to let go of because I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. Call me an addict but I could have become obsessed with actual drugs. You really don’t how lucky you are.

Again, fun at parties. Let’s get started: a list of everything great about writing.

Anywhere

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On a train, in a car, at home, on the go. You can write anywhere your heart desires.

Picture this scenario: my best friend calls me in the middle of an afternoon watching something related to Batman. She only asks one question:

“Wanna go somewhere?”

And being a twenty-year anti-social bookworm, I say yes.

We go to the archery range because we’re both poor and it’s the only place you don’t find people in the middle of summer. The weather is perfect; no wind, it’s not too hot, and the humidity is just right. I’m pulling the string of a bow back when suddenly:

My MC should have red hair. In the beginning, she’s not a “strong female character.” Her whole life, she’s relied on others to protect her, to be the “strong” for her. Her boyfriend is super hot. Honestly, he might be an “author’s fantasy” insert. But he’s more than “insert hot guy here.” He’s constantly worried about those around him. He slips up not because he’s not paying attention, but because he’s paying too much attention. Okay, it would be too romancey to have a scene where Nathaniel takes off his shirt and jumps into the ocean. When he gets back, Rose should help him into a clean shirt and make a comment like-

Yeah: too romancey. My thoughts aren’t grammatically correct. Neither is what I write after I pull out my phone, yell “hold on!” and begin typing. Had this been ye olde days, when a girl pulling back a bow would be gasp unthinkable, I would have been pulling out a notebook and perhaps a quill. The fact that technology has advanced to a point where I have access to a more reliable form to put down my whims is amazing. A kind thank you to the innovators behind my s9.

Want to go on a date? I know a very nice library nearby.

Anytime

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This one is simple: no matter where you are, you can write.

But I think another, more complex, aspect of this is simple: no matter where you’re from, you can write. And the stories you tell can be just as complex as the place you live. Right now, I’m living in a small house with a roommate. We share a bedroom, a bathroom, and a fridge. Technically, when the place was built it was built for only one person. And it’s cramped, but I chose to live here.

Think of the stories I could write, just based on this experience. Perhaps I could write a character who wants to break free of their small-town life. Perhaps I could write a world that only exists in the palm of my hand. The possibilities are as endless as space.

What stories could you write?

Anyone

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And lastly, the best, the wonderful thing about writing:

Anyone can do. Anyone can sit down with a laptop, or a notebook, or an old napkin and write. Anyone can tell a story, anyone can share their experiences with the world. As a twenty-something trying to find my way in this world, the thought that I’m not alone in my pursuit of wanting to write something magical, something mythical, is astounding. Sometimes, thinking about it leaves me feeling existential. Sometimes, it leaves me stranded in self-doubt. But sometimes, it motivates me. If a woman named J.K. Rowling or a man named Neil Gaiman can go through hardships and write absolute masterpieces, then why can’t I? Sure, I’m no fictional superhero with a tragic backstory that is my motivation for literally everything. Sure, I’m not the best at grammar, and frankly, I can barely speak English right let alone write it perfectly.

But I can write. I can tell stories, I can talk about what I’m going through and maybe where I hope to go.

And so can you. You, no matter where you are, no matter what you do, no matter what time it is or what year it is, can be a writer.