How often in life do we meet people who say ‘Oh, I could write a book about the things I have seen’ yet never follow through despite having a wealth of information, knowledge and experience?

The other day I was watching the local news and there were pensioners talking with schoolchildren about their experiences of life and particularly the Second World War. What struck me the most was all the knowledge and life experiences that were being shared with a young eager and enthralled audience. If we did not tell stories and share ideas and experiences the world would be a duller place. Also, more tragically, so many people and stories would be lost to time.

Writing plays many important, perhaps even vital functions: we can record and preserve our history for future generations. We can read about Edwardians, Victorians, the Renaissance, Revolutions, Vikings, the Romans, the Greeks, the Egyptians and many more and perhaps understand our ancestors better. If we stop writing and recording we lose ourselves.

Its not just history that is important but ideas, philosophies, beliefs, science, medicine and many other beneficial things that can be derived from the written word. Fiction can entertain, inform and influence many generations and people of different backgrounds ages and cultures can be brought together.

We should never be put off writing anything ourselves. I have met so many people who have talked enthusiastically about a project only to shrug their shoulders and dismiss any attempt at seeing it through and completing it. So many people say: ‘I can’t write.’

That is a tragedy. I am sure there is much that gets lost which could be amazing if only someone could receive the right kind of guidance and encouragement. Families and friends can also be very supportive and by joining a writing club or evening class new friendships can be formed and maybe even future writing collaborators. So never say or believe that you can’t write.

Everyone can, it’s just finding that inspiration and surrounding yourself with the right people and the environment to achieve it.

Writers in my experience are a helpful, sharing and encouraging bunch and not the egomaniacs that jealously and selfishly guard their work (as usually portrayed on the screen or in our own imaginations). It is not an exclusive group open to an elite few. We can all participate and learn from one another.

Remember that several publishers rejected JK Rowling before she hit the literary jackpot. But she persevered and her efforts bore fruit: acclaim and a franchise worth billions.

‘Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance’ published in 1974 was a best seller and sold over 5 million copies worldwide, yet was rejected an amazing 121 times by various publishers before finally hitting the shelves! Now that is perseverance!

The most important thing about writing is to do it for the love of it. Roald Dahl initially wrote stories just to entertain his own children before becoming a worldwide best-selling author.

So, if you write do it for yourself and your loved ones first. You may never become the next JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Philip Pullman or Michael Morpurgo. You may not create an amazing literary character that captures the world’s imagination like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie or Ian Fleming. You may not be the next Robert Ludlum, John Grisham or Lee Child. The point is to write because you can and….you just never know!

Once you do put pen to paper, or begin typing on your laptop or PC, the relief and enjoyment and the rush of writing your own work is incomparable. Unlike a sport where you can be limited by time, age and injuries, you can write all your life. So, no excuses, get writing!