Six Steps to Make Your Writing Easier and More Fun

Ali Luke reports:

"Write for ten minutes without stopping (set a timer) about any topic you like...You don’t even need to write in whole sentences. The idea is just to get the words flowing...[T]ry out a writing challenge which gives you a prompt of some sort. You could give Creative Copy Challenge a go – the idea is to create a short, coherent piece by using all the words supplied, and you can make it as crazy as you want!...Instead of sitting down and trying to come up with something to write about, make sure you’ve already got a stock of ideas. You can jot these in a notebook whenever you think of them, or even set aside time to deliberately come up with a list of ideas to write about – challenge yourself to get to 50, and don’t worry whether they’re 'good' or 'bad'...When you’re writing, you’ll find that your words rarely come out perfectly the first time. This isn’t because you’re a bad writer – even experienced professionals often go through many drafts. The whole point of a first draft is to get your ideas down onto the page, however imperfectly, so that you’ve got something to work with for the second draft. [No one] ever needs to see your first draft, so don’t censor yourself while you’re writing it...[D]on’t be afraid to try something new. It often takes a while for newer writers to find their voice...so don’t get stuck in writing in just one way."