Writing FAST - Jeff Bollow 2012

And so...
Decide which way to go
Strengthen

The trouble with writing is that there are so many choices available to you, it’s impossible to know which one is “right.”

When you get into the middle of it, the problem multiplies. The ideas are bouncing around in your head like never before! And there are so many good ideas! (And so many stinkers, too.)

It’s incredibly easy to get lost.

So here’s a rule:

Don’t over-think this!

Go with your gut reactions! Look at your Problem List, read the section, consider how effective it is, give it a grade, move on. Do it quickly. Instinctively.

You can always come back later. If you Re-Focus something, and then grade the new version and it still gets a Re-Focus grade, you’ll do it again anyway! So relax.

Remember, you're not fixing it yet! There’s no pressure.

All you’re doing is grading your work and creating a plan.

By doing this, you’re telling yourself that it’s doable, that you can fix it systematically, and that each side of your brain gets a chance to help out.

Making decisions about your own work is one of the hardest things for writers. You either want to cut everything, or you want to keep everything.

Always remember that there is no right or wrong. And the decisions you make are based on your opinion.

It’s your work, and you have the final say.

Don’t make decisions out of insecurity or over-confidence. Make every decision according to how effective that piece of writing is — how well it expresses or builds the idea.

And when you finish, every element of your writing will have a grade. And you’ll know exactly what you need to do.

You’ll be ready for the rewrite.

Interesting, huh?

This writing thing is looking pretty doable after all.