# Writing first steps This is for those who fancy writing but doubt themselves, feel scared, unqualified, or stuck. First, **if you want to write, just write**. There’s no permit to get, no exam to pass, no jury to convince. You can write, just as you can breathe, smile, talk, and walk. Second, **you don’t need big ideas to start writing**. You can write about one discrete thing at a time (e.g., write atomic essays). Once you have published a few, you can roll them up into longer-form articles. Consider that knowledge is like a staircase. You’re on a certain step of that staircase, and there are other people around you. Some are a bit above, others a bit below. Some much further along the way, some not. By sharing knowledge, you can always help others get a step further. When you reach out to folks further up on the staircase, they may be more willing to point you in the right direction because they have a better idea of where you are coming from. You can repeat yourself (a lot!). Repetition is good. It’s useful to repeat yourself. If you say the same thing multiple times, people remember it better. Most people won’t see or engage with what you share. So share the same content multiple times to give them an opportunity to discover what you’ve created. ## Related - [[Knowledge is like a staircase]] - [[How to start writing (2020 version) (Article)]]