Like many here, I'm an aspiring author. I wanted to get a feel for my writing style, and decided to write down some of the stories I used to make up while wasting time during study hall in junior high. Yes, they were awful pieces of Mary Sue fluff, but they kept me sane. Hopefully, the perspective that comes with time has improved them a little. The two greatest barriers I'm finding in pursuing this dream are 1.) finding the courage to share my thoughts and 2.) dialogue. (It always feels unnatural. I must sound like an idiot, but I try to say everything out loud before committing to it.) I'm overcoming the first barrier here, thanks to you all, and the second one is gradually coming along.