© 2012 Rose Muenker
At the beginning of writing projects, the excitement of creating something new propels you forward. But when that initial burst of energy starts to fizzle, how can you avoid losing enthusiasm, procrastinating or abandoning the project altogether?
The key is effective writing process techniques. The following eight tips will steadily infuse your writing project with renewed energy and propel it to successful completion.
1. Know Your Purpose
Why are you writing this article, newsletter, blog or book? To provide solutions that help others live happier lives? Enhance your professional credibility? Document your family history? The more compelling your reason, the more it will inspire you to keep charging forward.
2. Know Your Theme
What is your writing project about? Can you describe its theme in 25 words? Until you have a clear idea what your topic is, confusion rules. However, when you have a concise theme statement to refer to, your writing stays focused and on track.
3. Schedule Time for Your Project
When will you work on your writing project? Writing projects require unhurried, focused time. Schedule writing project appointments on your calendar and honor them just like client, doctor or dentist appointments.
4. Create an Inspiring Writing Setting
Where are you doing your writing? Whether you write at your office desk, in a coffee shop, or in an easy chair at home, make that space conducive to writing. For you, that might mean clearing off your desk, listening to inspiring music, or using your favorite pen.
5. Identify Your Readership
Who do you want to read your writing? Who will be enthralled with your novel or helped by your how-to book or article? When you identify your ideal readers, you gain clarity. Choices about what to include and what style and words to use become easier.
6. Have a Writing Action Plan
How are you going to carry out your writing project? To guide you, design a writing action plan that identifies the project’s completion date, the project’s main components and the key action items under each component , along with their target dates. This helps you measure your progress and stay on track.
7. Gather Your Writing Resources
Have writing tools and reference materials handy for ready answers.. Your writing resources may include an online dictionary, thesaurus, glossary, interview notes, files of character descriptions, or links to quoted articles.
8. Have a Support System
Even though writing is a solitary process, what you write benefits from others’ input, perspectives and feedback. Besides getting pointers on how to improve your piece, you get compliments on what works well. Join a writing critique group, take a writing class, or consult with a writing coach.
For the best results, keep referring back to these eight tips throughout your writing project. For example, if you feel uninspired, see if changing your writing setting helps. Or if you catch yourself wondering why you started this project, revisit your purpose. Each time you use these eight writing process techniques, you gain clarity and insight which ease the flow of your writing project to successful completion.
