Have you ever read a story and felt inspired to write your own but never put pen to paper? Well here are some reasons why you should just go for it. Pick up that pen and start writing a story of your own!

You may be pleasantly surprised at how interested your friends, family and neighbours are in your story.

What are the benefits?

• Writing is a great benefit for your mental health, you could write about your own experiences or create something fictional and let your imagination run wild! 
• Being creative develops your imagination and helps to strengthen your mind.
• Once your start writing you may awaken old memories that you would love to share with others or bring to life for your own reading.
• Putting your thoughts and ideas into a story can help with stress, rather than having lots on your mind, you can release the tension and write it all down. Many people find this quite therapeutic! 

Where do I start?

Starting a story can often be the hardest part but you don’t have to do it alone. You could ask someone to help.

It might be useful to get out some old photos, keepsakes, diaries or old movies and magazines to give you some ideas.

Choose how you want to write your story; you could use a pen and paper, a laptop/computer, an audio recorder or a typewriter. You could even tell your story through artwork! Once you have finished your story, you may choose to keep it to yourself but if you would like to share it, you could pass it on to friends, family, neighbours or even a book club.

It doesn’t have to end there! If you enjoyed writing, why stop? You could try writing the next chapter or go for something new.

Inspiring quotes from well-known authors

“Description begins in the writers imagination but should finish in the readers”  Stephen King

“All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know”  Ernest Hemingway

“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn”  Anne Frank

“You can make anything by writing”  C. S Lewis