Writing a story, regardless of length, begins always with a single word.

A writer always writes.

Authors must spend months, years making fantasy believable in a single work while reality runs rampant and complete chaos elsewhere.

Love it when a compelling new character kicks open your mental door, tracks mud across your brain, and props their feet up on your cerebrum.

The recipe for great art has always been misery and a good bowel movement.

If you focus on the humanity of your stories, your characters, then the horror will be stronger, scarier. Without the humanity, the horror becomes nothing more than a tawdry parlor trick. All flash and no magic, and worst of all, no heart.

Always work with/surround yourself with people who help make you a better version of you. Kindly avoid those who don't.