Just Do It
Force yourself to write.
1. Make a cup of tea/coffee.
2. Select a playlist--soundtracks and Ludovico Einaudi or Jorge Méndez work well (nothing with words). You can also try binaural soundbeats. Play it while writing and start visualizing your story or empty your mind and listen to the music. You'll figure out what works for you.
3. Give yourself a 1000 word minimum and one chapter theme/story beat to write per day, everyday, except Shabbat. I recommend using pencil or pen and a spiral notebook that you like.Write at a stand up desk if you can, or laying on your stomach in bed. Do not allow yourself to get up until it's done.
4. When you have 5-10 spiral notebook pages, you'll be done. If you want to keep writing, do so until you are done, but never allow yourself to stop early. Type it up, spellcheck, but don't read it or edit.
5. Repeat this process, no excuses, for 35 days, and you will have a novella, 55 days and you will have a novel. This is your rough draft. Save it often.
6. Give 3 days to rest and to decompress. Then print and start reading your story. Use a pencil or purple pen for notes & edits. This is your copy editing phase, don't make big story changes, just grammar & spelling. When you edit it in your computer, duplicate your rough draft and rename it as your first draft. This is the copy you will edit.
7. For the second edit, duplicate your 1st draft, rename it to 2nd draft. Print. Start playing around with your story. Fill in insufficient character background, descriptions, etc. Type these edits into your 2nd draft. Spellcheck and grammar check.
8. Repeat step 7 for your 3rd draft. This is the copy you will workshop.
9. Apply edits, repeating step 7.
10. You are now on your 4th draft. Duplicate and save as Draft 5. Send this copy to a story editor, then a copy editor, then a book cover designer & layout editor.
11. You are now on your 8th draft (once you duplicate the layout/1st proof). Check the font, margins, paper weight. Read it as a customer. Make notes In your spiral notebook. Now read it as the author. Make notes. If you are happy, save the PDF file and upload it at Amazon after you copyright it and secure a barcode for it. Now you get to focuson marketing, publicity, and getting book reviews to help sell your work.
If you are not happy with it, repeat step 11. Send your notes and corrections to your book cover designer &/or layout editor. Get a 2nd proof, and go again until it's right.
Tips:
*Wear orange UVEX glasses for screen time
*Use symphonic music while writing
*Write your rough draft with a pen/pencil in a spiral notebook, unless you prefer a voice recorder. Transcribe to a computer writing program that is easy to save into PDF, and always save in the writing format and the PDF format.
*Take walks before and after writing
*Eat a snack and use the facilities before aitting down to write.
*Do chores, work in the yard, or paint/do photography/doodle after writing. It's good for the body and helps the brain decompress.
*Bluelight, TV, video games, and social media are your enemy and a cololsal waste of time. You will never write anything if you engage in these activities, gossip with your friends, are obsessed over your partner/child/parent/evil neighbor, etc. The craft comes after prayer/meditation--no excuses.
*Do not use a red pen to edit your work. Red is the color of teachers, stop lights, and judgement. You will not encourage your self improvement or creativity with red.