These bits of writing advice have been gathered from a variety of books, websites, etc. Remember that writing can always be edited in the next draft.
Writing in your writing space:
- Before writing - get snacks, get a drink, go to the bathroom (in any order), and get whatever is needed to write
- During writing - have any notes (outline, chapter summary) ready to refer to
- After writing - check off any notes that have been completed
Writing on the go (waiting in line, for an appointment, before class starts, etc.):
- Write anything
- Use texting if preferred
Avoid distractions:
- Turn off the wifi, hotspot, data and anything else that connects your writing device to the internet
- Every day, set notifications to Do Not Disturb for at least 10 minutes. Use those 10 minutes to write.
Treat Yourself!
- Reward yourself with treats and motivation after meeting a writing goal
- Ex. food motivation: 1 written page = 1 bite-sized snack
Word counts:
- Try not to delete anything in the rough draft
- Italicize or strikethrough instead, to keep the wordcount going
Rough drafts are for info dumping and practicing writing:
- First draft, fun draft! Anything can happen in the first draft.
- Get a feel/understanding for the characters, world, etc. by using tons of description, or explaining any rules that might apply in detail
- Let characters monologue, have long conversations, etc.
- Practice writing how each character might speak (accents, stutters, using a particular word or phrase, etc.)