Today is the Perfect Day to Start Your Novel
Not tomorrow. Not this weekend. Today.
If there is anything I’m an expert at, it’s looking for the perfect time to start writing — and then never. actually. writing.
When I have more time. When I feel more inspired. When my parents can watch my toddler for a few hours. When I know exactly what the story will become. I spend months waiting for that magical alignment of circumstances, discipline, and spark.
What I am discovering is that perfect moments don't exist. But perfect days do. And today happens to be one of them.
Here's why today is exactly when you should open that blank document and write your first sentence.
Reason 1: Your Story Is Already Waiting
Right now, somewhere in your mind, there's a character making a decision. A world taking shape. A problem demanding to be solved. You might not see the whole picture yet, but the seeds are there, restless and ready.
The mistake we make is thinking we need the entire story before we begin. That's like saying you need to see your destination before you can take the first step. Stories don't reveal themselves to people sitting in coffee shops, staring at blank pages, waiting for lightning to strike. They reveal themselves to people who start writing.
Your novel doesn't need you to have it all figured out. It needs you to be curious enough to find out what happens next. That curiosity you're feeling right now? That's not inspiration you're waiting for. You already have it and it's knocking at the door.
Reason 2: Momentum Is Magic
Here's something they don't tell you about writing: the hardest part isn't the middle slump or the climactic scene or even the ending. The hardest part is crossing the threshold from "thinking about writing" to "actually writing."
Once you start, something shifts. The story becomes real. Characters start talking back. Plot problems become puzzles to solve rather than reasons to quit. Writing 1,500 words feels impossible until you've written 150. Then it just feels like work. Work that you love.
But momentum is fragile. Every day you don't start is another day your story remains theoretical. Another day the voice in your head gets a little louder, the one that says maybe you're not a real writer, maybe this isn't for you, maybe it's too late.
Today, you can silence that voice with action. Not perfect action. That's a ridiculous concept. Just action.
Reason 3: Your Window Is Open
Right now, there's something you might not know about: The Next Big Story Prize is accepting submissions. It's a $100,000 writing competition specifically designed for new voices. I'm talking about people exactly like you who have a story burning inside them but haven't found their way to the page yet.
Here's what makes this different from the usual literary contests: you only need the first 1,500 words.
Not a completed manuscript. Not a polished, published portfolio. Just the opening of your novel. Just write the part that hooks readers and makes them desperate to know what happens next.
The deadline is July 31st. That gives you about eight weeks to write and refine your opening. Eight weeks to go from "someday I'll write a novel" to "I'm a novelist who just submitted to a major competition."
But here's the thing about deadlines—they're only helpful if you start. Waiting until July to begin means you'll be rushing, second-guessing, settling for something less than your story deserves. Starting today means you'll have time to discover what your story is really about, to let it breathe and grow and surprise you.
The Real Reason to Start Today
All of these reasons matter, but they're not the real reason today is perfect for starting your novel.
The real reason is that every day you don't write is a day you're not becoming the person who writes. You can't become a novelist by thinking about being a novelist. You become one by writing novels, one sentence at a time, one page at a time, one imperfect-but-real day at a time.
So today, before the sun sets, before you check your phone again, before you find another reason to wait...open the blank document. Write a sentence. Then write another one.
Your story is waiting. Your future self is waiting. The only question is: will you keep them waiting another day?
Full disclosure: I'm a partner of The Next Big Story Prize, but I wouldn't promote anything I didn't genuinely believe in. If you're ready to start your novel, check out the competition details here. The $15 entry fee is less than you'd spend on dinner, and the potential upside—both the prize money and the simple act of finally starting—could change everything.