I know there are tons of sites with tips or master classes by famous writers but I am going to try and give you my TOP three tips for writing successfully.
BE DILIGENT. Set some time aside every day and possibly a number of words as a daily goal. Do not skip any days!! You have to write something every single day. There is of course an exception: If you are working on an essay/article or short story and you consider yourself done, let it sit there for a day or two (yes, you can have a break and take to gardening or snorkeling on that wonderfully lazy day) and then read the whole thing for content, typos, etc.
FIND A GOOD PLACE. Not only a good head space (distractions are a kill joy for a writer) but a physical place, a place that is yours, where you are comfortable, with plenty of natural light and start writing (I always use my laptop but others might like to scribble first and then copy what is useful on the computer). Once you are in your safe place, there is nothing that can bother you or pull you away from the plot and the characters that are coming through. You can leave that space for a minute or two but go back to it... it is there the magic happens.
THE BEGINNING. Nothing is more important than the beginning. It is the hook, the imperative catch, the way you pull in your readers and the way you enter into the plot you are generating. The author has to make a very strong impression. It is like you are entering a room with all eyes on you: what are they thinking about you? do they want to approach you and get to know you or do they turn around to pursue other situations? Are they all rushing to shake your hand and introducing themselves to spur a conversation or do they want to flee the scene? Work hard on the beginning. It is your beginning. The beginning of your new creature. Do not disappoint anyone, including you!
Happy writing!!
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