Today's the official release date of A Murmuring of Bees, and here's a thing I just want to say to you:
Write because you love writing, share it everywhere and anywhere, ignore everyone who says something negative because no matter at what stage you are in your writing development, you're doing fantastically well because you are writing.
This bees anthology? I asked a lot of people to take part. A lot of them said they couldn't. They were afraid.
Write because you love it, listen to the people who tell you what you do well. The 'less than good' features of your writing? They'll go away on their own and they are likely not the things that someone criticized you for. People complain about your writing because they are afraid. They are afraid.
If you write, you're already doing more than most of those people. Keep doing it. Then share it, share it, share it. Don't be afraid. Sometimes all of it doesn't seem like it'll take you somewhere but it will.
I write so much fan fiction and in truth I didn't expect to publish my first book The Day They Met. But that first step, that book? It happened because I wrote thousands of words of fan fiction. It happened. I made it happen because I kept writing, even when my writing was rubbish I kept going until it wasn't.
Please keep writing.
Share what you write. Here, AO3, anywhere.
Ignore anyone who harshes on your gig.
Smooch the people who praise your gifts.
You'll get where you want to be.
You will.
You. Will.