/lit/ - Literature

>>20679546
John Milton started Paradise Lost when he was young like you. He didn't finish it until he was almost 70. He wrote other things along the way. You can start on your passion project, but it's helpful to draft a story and then analyze and edit it. You have to get used to scrapping some things you write. You are getting unsure of yourself from the lack of momentum probably, but it's okay to write something that's not that good.

Ray Bradbury had suggested to write one short story every week as practice when you start. That walks you through the process of creating a story in simple terms. Pick one or two elements: setting, idea, character, or event. If it's a setting, write a story about what happens as we go into a setting and then how we get out of the setting. For ideas you are exploring a question that needs an answer. For character you are challenging yearning of that character and see if he will change. An event story disrupts the status quo, then you attempt to understand the event so the status quo can be restored. There are more complicated ways of setting up a story, but starting out just go with something easy like that. Focus mostly on that element.
With enough experience you will get a knack for telling stories, especially if you are reading every day in your genre. It's okay to write something that isn't as good and you don't have to publish it, but use it as practice and you will likely write something cool after a while. You eventually will listen to your intuition, your muse if you will, and surprise yourself.