In last week’s post I offered tips for getting that manuscript done. Here are a few more:

1. Be flexible

If you thought your novel was going to go one way but find it unfolding in a different way, just go with it. This approach will result in a more believable story, as opposed to something forced or far-fetched.

2. Use sticky notes

You never know when creativity is going to strike, so it’s important to jot down an idea the moment it enters your head. My short-term memory isn’t great, so I carry around sticky notes to write ideas down as soon as they occur to me. I’ve learned from experience that if don’t do this, there’s a good chance the ideas will be long forgotten by the next time I sit down to work on my book. I don’t use every idea from those sticky notes in my novels, but I certainly use a lot of them, so I know from experience that this tactic works.

3. Try voice-recognition software

For those of you who hate the idea of typing your thoughts into a computer, why not speak them? You’d be amazed at how much you can capture—quickly—with speech-recognition software. This is a great idea for non-fiction authors who know their material inside and out because it’s part of a business practice, regular speech/presentation, etc.

4. Be consistent

Yes, an entire book seems like a lot. However, if you write just one page a day, in less than a year you’ll have an entire book. One page a day. You can do that, right?

Yes, you can. Now get started!

-Maria