Let me tell you something I wish someone had screamed in my face ten years ago:
Write the damn thing. Publish it. Get paid.
Not someday. Not “when the timing feels right.” Not after the kids are grown or after the bills settle down or after you finally feel like a “real writer.” Do it now. Today. Because everything you want is on the other side of finishing that first piece.
And trust me I’m not saying this from some pedestal. I’m telling you this like I would if we were sitting on the porch, coffee in hand, after one of those long, soul-sorting conversations where the truth finally spills out. I’ve been where you are. Full of ideas. Full of excuses. Full of fear.
But let me tell you the moment it changed.
The Night It Hit Me Like Lightning
I was lying awake, scrolling through my phone, knee-deep in another binge of “just one more” videos about other people chasing their dreams. A girl had published her first short story online and was already getting freelance offers. A dad had launched a blog and turned it into a side hustle. A truck driver wrote poetry in his cab between shifts and landed a book deal.
And there I was an encyclopedia of unwritten dreams.
I had notebooks, hard drives, scraps of napkins with scenes and plots and poems and articles… but not one of them had seen the light of day.
That night, I sat up in bed and whispered to myself like I was making a promise I couldn’t break:
“Write it. Publish it. Get paid.”
Step One: Write It (Even If You Think It’s Crap)
Look, I get it. Starting is hard. The blank page can feel like a wall taller than anything you’ve climbed. But here’s the deal: writing is not about perfection. It’s about momentum. And momentum only comes from motion.
You don’t have to write something good you just have to write something real.
Tell a story you’d tell your best friend at 2 a.m.
Write the advice you wish someone had given you in your darkest hour.
Capture the feeling you had when you finally forgave someone.
Or the time your heart broke. Or when you laughed until you cried.
Write like no one is watching. Because they’re not, not yet. That first draft? It’s yours. It doesn’t need to impress anyone. It just needs to exist.
You can’t edit a blank page. But a messy, tangled, passionate piece? That can be shaped into something powerful.
And the truth is, no one’s going to hand you permission to call yourself a writer. You take that title the second you put words on a page.
Step Two: Publish It (Because Your Voice Deserves a Platform)
You don’t need a literary agent. You don’t need a traditional publishing contract. You don’t even need to wait for someone else to say “yes.”
You need to hit publish.
We’re living in a golden age of opportunity. Medium, Substack, Amazon KDP, Wattpad, Kindle Vella, Vocal Media, your own blog, even TikTok storytelling you have options. And they’re not reserved for the elite or the chosen few.
I uploaded my first article to a tiny blog I created myself. It was rough. The formatting was off. The image looked like it was pulled from 2005. But I hit publish. And when the first comment came in from a stranger who said my story made them cry I swear, the room shifted. The world opened up.
Because suddenly, I wasn’t just writing for myself anymore.
Someone heard me.
Someone felt something because of my words.
Publishing is about connection. It’s about saying, “This is what I’ve lived. Maybe it means something to you, too.”
And once your work is out there? You’re in the game. People can share it. Editors can find it. Brands can stumble on it. And yeah, you can get paid.
Step Three: Get Paid (Because Yes, Your Words Are Worth Money)
Here’s what no one tells you at first: you don’t have to starve to be a writer. You don’t have to “pay your dues” forever. Your words have value. They create emotion, insight, entertainment, and transformation and those things are currency.
There are people out there making full-time incomes from:
- Blogging
- Freelance article writing
- Self-published eBooks
- Ghostwriting
- Scriptwriting
- Digital serials
- Patreon storytelling
- Affiliate content
And yes, even poetry. Even horror. Even weird short fiction about cursed antique spoons (I’ve written it. It sold.).
You don’t need a million followers. You need a clear voice, a few good samples, and a willingness to say, “Here I am. Let me tell you a story.”
I started by charging $25 for an article. Then $50. Then $150. Now I write for brands, for publishers, for myself and some of my stories make money in my sleep.
In. My. Sleep.
And I’m not special. I’m just a guy who finally decided to stop dreaming and start doing.
Why You Need to Start Today (Not Tomorrow, Not “When It’s Ready”)
Let me be real with you: the world’s not waiting.
Every minute you hesitate is a minute someone else is building a platform.
Every week you say “maybe later” is a week someone else is landing a client or publishing their third book.
And don’t let that scare you, let it ignite you.
Because here’s the best part: the sooner you start, the sooner you get through the messy beginning and into the magic.
You get better with every piece.
You gain confidence with every share.
You build an audience one voice at a time.
You become the person you’ve always known you could be, not by thinking about it, but by doing it.
I’ve seen people launch writing careers from a single article. One poem. One heartfelt post that went viral. Not because it was perfect, but because it was honest.
What’s Holding You Back? Let’s Kill the Excuses.
“But I don’t have time.”
Write 300 words a day. That’s a page. You can write a page on your phone in the bathroom. Don’t lie to yourself. You do have time, you’re just scared. And that’s okay. But write scared. Write anyway.
“I’m not a real writer.”
Did you write something? Congrats, you’re a real writer. Credentials don’t make you legit, writing does.
“What if no one likes it?”
Someone will. Someone needs what you have to say. And even if they don’t? The only way to find your voice is to use it.
“I don’t know where to start.”
Start with a story you know. A lesson you lived. A moment you can’t forget. Write it like you’re telling your best friend. Don’t worry about structure yet. Just get it out.
Your Story Could Change Someone’s Life (Including Your Own)
I don’t care if it’s fiction or memoir or essays or rants or romance or survivalist guides or tea reviews, what’s in you matters.
Someone out there is waiting to read exactly the thing only you can write.
I’ve gotten emails from people who said my words helped them out of dark places. Messages that started with, “I didn’t think anyone else felt this way.” Reviews that said, “I see myself in this.”
And every time, I remember how close I came to keeping it all to myself.
You never know how far your words will travel. But they won’t go anywhere if you don’t write them.
So, What Do You Do Right Now?
- Pick one thing you want to write. Just one.
- Block out one hour. Tonight. Tomorrow morning. On your lunch break. Doesn’t matter, just make the time.
- Write it messy. Write it bold. Don’t overthink. Don’t censor.
- Edit lightly. Clean it up, sure but don’t kill the soul of it.
- Publish it. Blog. Medium. Facebook. Wattpad. Anywhere. Just hit publish.
- Repeat. Again. And again. And again.
You Can Do This. I Mean That.
You’re not too late.
You’re not too old.
You’re not too inexperienced.
You’re ready.
You’ve always been ready.
You just needed someone to remind you that writing isn’t a dream, it’s a decision.
So, decide.
Write it.
Publish it.
Get paid.
I’m cheering for you like a brother, like a friend, like someone who’s seen what happens when people finally get out of their own way.
Let this be your turning point. The first day of the rest of your writing life.
We don’t get forever. But we do get now.
And now is all you need to start.
Let’s go.
Need a Hand Getting Published?
Hey, if you’re fired up and finally ready to write your piece, but you’re not sure how to publish it on Amazon KDP or just need someone to proofread and give honest feedback, I’d be glad to help. You don’t have to do this alone. Sometimes all it takes is a little guidance and a second pair of eyes.
Want to see where I started?
Here’s the very first article I ever published online, proof that the first step doesn’t have to be perfect, just real:
👉 Read it here
Now it’s your turn.
Email: earnest@books2publish.com
Download a free copy of my New eBook: Write It, Publish It, Get Paid.
Let’s get your story out there.