Forward Motion for Writers

Hello, all!

For as long as I can recall, I've known I should write. However, knowing and doing are not the same thing. I've dabbled with essays and short stories over the years, but I've never completed anything. More accurately, I've not produced anything I was satisfied with. I've not had sufficient time nor energy to drive something from idea to completion. I'm at a point now where I believe I can commit enough to writing and finally make some progress.

While publication is my ultimate goal, it's not my immediate concern. My first priority is to complete the short story I'm working on now. I wrote it initially in 2007 and set it aside. I felt then, as I do now, that the idea was solid and some the text was good, but it needed quite a bit of work. My near term goal is to make this story as complete and polished as I am capable. This is an exercise in writing to upgrade and hone my skills as much as it is to finish the story.

I stumbled upon this site looking for tips on writing short stories. I've yet to find the article I was looking for, however, the community here is intriguing and so here I am. I'm not sure if I fit here or not. (I did find "Writing Short" by Zette.) My writing experience is minimal and publication is a distant goal, so I wonder if my arrival here is somewhat misplaced or, perhaps, premature.

Regardless, I think I'd like to stick around and lurk for a while

In case it's not clear from my profile, my name is Dan and I'm a fledgling writer.