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are there writers here?

i'm a little hesitant to post this because i don't like claiming to be a "writer". i'm so bad at it, i'm like literally shit, i ignore that hobby, i'm ashamed of it ( i'm not ashamed of writing, i'm just not confident with how i do it ), and i hate looking at the stuff that i keep inside my notes. i've actually written fan fiction before like a normal teenager when i was around 11 to 13. but i don't think i'm improving, at all. is this normal?

if you do write, are there tips on how to get better? i've been considering reading novels more but i've been busy and it's so hard to find time, especially with how short my attention span is. i'm just trying to write more because it's somehow an outlet for my imagination and pent-up maladaptive daydreaming plots.
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DunningKruger · 61-69, M
If you write, you're a writer. The only way to get better is to write more. I mean, sure, reading what other writers have to say about their process for writing can be useful. Analyzing works you admire to see what the writer did is important. But in the end, you have to put those techniques into use in your own work and figure out what you need to do to get the effect you want.

Also remember that every writer hates their own writing at least some of the time. Writers are more prone to imposter syndrome that pretty much anyone else. It's OK.

And keep in mind that the heart of writing is rewriting. Don't over analyze your first drafts — just write and get it down. Then go back through and figure out what you need to in order to make it work. Then do it again. And again, until it reaches a point where you're willing to let it go. It won't be finished — writers never finish their work, they just abandon it.

Don't be shy about sharing your work with people whose opinions you trust. Having beta readers — or literary guinea pigs, as I prefer to call them — is essential, and they need to give you feedback better than "It's good I like it." Being part of a writing group can be helpful because you'll be dealing with other writers who are going through the same things you are.

Also, don't take constructive criticism personally and don't be defensive. Constructive criticism is not an attack on you or your writing — it's feedback that you should consider. You don't have to accept it. You may disagree with someone else's feedback about your work. But think about it. Don't just dismiss it out of hand.

And, again, keep writing.