There’s a lady here in South Carolina who is a fan of my books. She’s bought and read them all. She’s attended book clubs to hear me and even sponsored one at a restaurant. She is a beautiful person, and she not long ago suddenly lost her husband.

After a length of time, she started coming back to life and sent me a sweet message, asking how she could start writing. She was re-analyzing her life, and she felt a certain creative spirit rearing its head in the process. While she craved to write, she wasn’t sure how or what to write.

This is very common in today’s world. We yearn for a creative outlet. Some of us use our hands and paint, create jewelry, sew, or build. Others prefer storytelling. Why not, since storytelling is an ancient human desire?

I asked if she meant creative fiction, commercial nonfiction, or something else entirely. She wanted to blog, she thought.

If you desire to release creativity through the energy of writing, I strongly suggest you find a platform like Medium.com. Not only can you find any sort of writing you wish to read (and maybe emulate), but you can find peers. You can read the successful posts and learn what works while learning from what is posted. You can learn whether you prefer to write how-to, personal development, or inner soul searching pieces. And if you stick to it, you might just earn a few dollars.

If you wish to start writing commercially, go to LinkedIn Jobs, preferably the paid version. Sign up for HARO notices. And I love a site called Write Jobs PLUS+ (and no, I’m not an affiliate). PLUS+ is Write Jobs’ exclusive job board that rounds up the latest freelance/remote writing opportunities and calls for pitches with clear pay rates. The job board is updated Mondays through Fridays.

So if you are uncertain where to start when you “just want to write,” consider these options. And if you want to write fiction, start with short stories, taking your time doing it. No point thinking about writing a book when you aren’t sure which path drives you quite yet.

Good luck!