Today, exactly a year ago, I published my first ever short-story. Publishing my writing had felt kind of odd back then since I wasn't used to it.
A few months prior to that, another dream of mine just had been shattered (The thing I had planned on doing for more than half of my life by that point). I was still attempting to get my goals and plans back on track for the future.
Writing then kind of sparked out of the pile of ash my dream had left behind. I don't really know why it took me that long tbh. I have been writing for a good ammount of years, but... publishing? I didn't even know where to start.
The main reason I started was a story I had recently begun worldbuilding for. A massive project which had already reached quite a big size... but I had no idea how I should put it on paper. And even though I planned on improving and getting better for said story (which I am still working on btw. I just slowed down so I can focus on 'Sinner's game' until it's finished), I didn't expect to improve as much as I did over the course of the last year.
Don't get me wrong. It was a struggle all of the way through. Productivity still remains a huge problem for me, and I always feel like I could do more, even though I worked myself through a LOT of self-improvement books and ones about writing, while more or less turning my whole life upside down simultaneously, resulting in a lot of change both personally and in my writing.
I struggled with a lot of self doubt and mental health problems back then, and I still do, but I have the feeling I'm slowly getting more confident in my craft and life in general.
One year later, and I am now almost finished with writing the rough draft of my first novel. And even though I still feel like I could have done more, looking back now reassures me on how far I have already come.
Now I'm confident that the step to release here one year ago was the best one I could have taken.
The future is looking bright.
-Niffox