At Inkitt, we believe every story matters, and on April 27th, we had a wonderful reason to celebrate the creativity of our community: National Tell a Story Day! To mark this special day, we asked some of our authors fun questions about their first stories, the rules they love to break, their favorite sentences, and the advice they would give to new writers. Their answers are full of humor, honesty, and inspiration.
If you have ever dreamed about writing or are already on your storytelling journey, we hope these stories and reflections encourage you to keep going. Inkitt is always excited to welcome new writers, so if you feel inspired, come be a part of our growing community and share your voice with readers around the world.
Here are their answers.
What’s the first story you ever wrote — and would you still publish it today?
VioletOfCourse: The first story I ever wrote was Appsalootly Batty and to this day, I’m still trying to write a version of it worthy of publishing. For now, I have a few versions on the internet that are alright, I guess.
Ditzy One: Avoiding Fate… but I only published it because I wanted an Inky badge. 
Knowing the feedback it got, yes I would publish it today — but personally, it needs a lot of rework. It’s too long and needs to be broken down into multiple books! It’s an example that sometimes the work you aren’t passionate about still has a place — don’t be your own worst critic!
Emil Bronze: The first story I ever wrote was a Minecraft Fanfiction. I don’t remember the details, but I reused the characters and their names. I wouldn’t publish it now — 7th-grade me doesn’t hold a tealight to current me.
A T: The first story I ever wrote was when I was 7, but the first serious one was a 6th-grade story about a Vietnamese refugee child. I mailed it to Tor hoping they’d publish it. I wouldn’t publish it as an adult, but for that age group, it was okay.
OC Andrea: The first story I wrote in English started a new journey I didn’t even know I needed. I wrote it to decompress, not expecting readers. Six full stories later, I would absolutely do it all again, starting with that same story.
Aimée: First story: a two-page sci-fi story in my poetry/journal at 15 years old. The first published story was Sims 4 fanfiction, and I still use that character today.
Witch_of_Hellridge: My first finished story was about a girl joining a thieves’ guild — full of drama and questionable choices. Would I publish it? Absolutely not! It belongs in my vault of Teenage Cringe™, though part of me dreams of giving it a glow-up one day.
What’s one storytelling rule you love to break — and why does it work for you?
Ditzy One: I love breaking the fourth wall — letting the protagonist interact with readers. I also enjoy writing sentence fragments to create emotional pull.
Emil Bronze: I break the “always plot your story” rule. I don’t plan at all — I get a rough idea in my head and run with it. I keep a simple factbook for consistency, but no detailed outlines.
A T: Rules? What are those? Rules are just guidelines. If you break a rule, just make sure you break it well.
OC Andrea: I don’t plot or plan. Strict outlines don’t work for me. Also, I love adverbs and sprinkle commas like glitter throughout my stories.
M.Lane: I hate rigid genre expectations. If everyone’s writing werewolf stories a certain way, I want to flip it. Familiar ideas can be shocking and fresh with a new spin.
Aimée: I don’t follow traditional first-draft rules. I write one chapter at a time — almost like a soap opera — instead of a full first draft.
Witch_of_Hellridge: “Show, don’t tell” — sometimes it’s more powerful to just say the messy, raw emotion directly. Life is chaotic, so my writing gets to be too.
Share a single sentence from your current story that you’re really proud of
Ditzy One: “Her traitorous eyes focused on a distant point where the sky met the forest canopy. Untouchable. Unreachable. A blur of color that drew her attention and removed her from reality.”
(Or from an existing Inkitt story:“I won’t mourn your death; stupidity is a choice only you could make.”)
Emil Bronze: (From A Summer to Remember)
“Pan of bread?” Roderick raised a brow of suspicion at the phrase. “Is that along the lines of a pancake of water?”
VioletOfCourse: (From Child Of The Wolves)
“Yeah. I had this friend, his name was Herbert. Well, we didn’t actually know each other for that long, but, well… I ate him…”
JERomm: (From Flat Line)
“David? He was not even in the picture—hell, he wasn’t even a speck of dust floating about her periphery.”
A T: (From WIP draft)
“Hello Khoa,” she says. She’s the first parent at this school to actually pronounce my name right. “I’m Natalie with a G and the pleasure’s all mine.”
OC Andrea: (From current story)
“But I’ll be brave; I always am. If I’m quiet enough, they’ll eventually come for me. They always do. So I won’t cry, not this time. That would only make them angrier, and tomorrow they’ll lock me down here for even longer. If only there was a spell or magic potion, lotion, or secret ingredient to make me a better healer—a worthy daughter.”
Aimée: “Ah! To wake in the arms of my beloved will be something I hope I will always cherish. I certainly feel more whole this morning than I have all week.”
Witch_of_Hellridge: “And maybe, just maybe, happy endings aren’t endings at all. Maybe they’re just the part where you finally start living.”
What’s your #1 piece of advice for someone just starting their storytelling journey?
Ditzy One: Write the story you want to read, not the one you think will make you popular.
Emil Bronze: Run with it. Doesn’t matter how messy or trashy it is — just get it written. Fix it later.
JERomm: Organize your thoughts — whether it’s a full outline or a quick summary. Make sure your first few lines grab attention, and your last lines leave readers desperate for more.
A T: Stop caring about stats. Focus on writing better stories, not chasing external validation.
OC Andrea: There’s no such thing as the perfect story. Stop doubting — start writing.
M.Lane: Don’t be afraid to pull the trigger on something dramatic or uncomfortable. Readers want to feel alongside your characters — give them an escape into a dreamscape.
Aimée: Write from your heart, write for yourself first, then for your audience. Don’t sacrifice your inner muse for the sake of outside approval.
Witch_of_Hellridge: Start messy. Start gloriously, unapologetically bad. You can’t edit a blank page, but you can shape brilliance from chaos.
In Conclusion
Stories connect us, inspire us, and remind us that every voice has value.
Reading what our authors shared about their early writing, favorite rules to break, and advice for new writers shows just how much passion and perseverance lives in our community. Every story, no matter how messy or imperfect at first, has the power to grow into something extraordinary.
If you are thinking about writing or looking for a place to share your work, Inkitt is here to support you. Your story could be the one that touches someone’s heart, sparks a new idea, or offers comfort when it is needed most.
Here is to bold beginnings, creative risks, and all the stories that are still waiting to be written.
