Take a breath. Let it out. The blank page isn't your enemy—it's your laboratory. Approach this first day the same way a scientist approaches an experiment. You study, you plan, you do your best to think about all the possible variables, but when that first day arrives, what you're really doing is learning. You don't know what will happen, and that's the point.

Here's a secret: the first sentence doesn't matter. The first chapter doesn't matter. You'll return to these pieces again and again as you write and revise your story, discovering your characters, perfecting your plot. These pieces will change, and for the better.

The only important thing about the beginning? To begin.

So start with some action. Start with the setting. Start with your character falling asleep at their desk and poking themselves in the eye with a pencil. Start with flying monkeys and underwater amusement parks. Just start.

Excited for you to discover your hidden powers,

Marya Brennan,
Young Writers Program Director