AllTop Viral!

Even if an idea for a book has been floating around in your mind for forever, simply sitting yourself down in front of the computer doesn’t guarantee a first draft will flow.

That’s why Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen set down these seven tips to ensure you successfully jump the first hurdle on your way to finally penning that masterpiece.

1. Put your brain on ice

You need to learn how to trust your intuitive voice, especially when you’re learning how to write the first draft of your book. Your intuition – that still small voice – will help you write a book that is authentic and vibrant. When you trust your intuition, you don’t stop thinking (that’s not what I mean by putting your brain on ice!). Following your intuition is a higher level form of being creative and even productive. It will help you write a first draft that has potential to go farther than you dream…

2. Create a mind map for the first draft of your book

“My best writing advice is to always do a mind map before writing to make sure you really know what you want to say,” says Michelle on 51 Over-Used Adverbs, Nouns, and Clichés in Writing. “I work best when I do one of these mind maps because I always come across something that I have forgotten in the story. Mind maps are easy to do and they can only add to what ever it is that you plan to write. They work so much better than lists. The whole idea of a mind map lets your brain use both its right and left sides in thinking. It combines the visual with the rational. It is very good for brainstorming and planning, especially if you aren’t sure how to write the first draft of your book.”…

Full story at The Adventurous Writer.

Writing tips that work.

Graphics credit: Canva