Writing FAST - Jeff Bollow 2012

Make your idea specific in 5 easy steps
Make your idea specific
Focus

Once you’ve got your idea, it’s time to give it shape, and form. Here are five easy steps to get there.

1. Consider your idea.

Put your idea in your mind. Mull it over. Think about the different shapes it could take. Ask yourself what it means to you. Let your gut take over. Then:

2. Make it tangible.

Remember, your reader needs to grasp your idea. Give them something to hold. Create an example of that idea. Give it a specific shape. Play with different concepts and approaches, and then:

3. Test your approach.

Put yourself in your reader’s shoes, and vigorously challenge your concept. Look for holes or weaknesses, or anything that’s confusing. If you can’t be objective, get feedback. And once you’re happy with it, then:

4. Flesh it out.

Make it specific. Create an overall chain of thought. Let it build. For fiction, lay down some major turning points. For non-fiction, sketch out your approach to the material. Then:

5. Create your Preview.

It ain’t real until you put it on the page. So do it. It could be one paragraph, or a full page. It could be a chart, a map, or a drawing. Whatever works for you. As long as you can see it, touch it, and hold it. This Preview is going to help you create your Focus Plan in the next section.

Like everything else in this book, these steps could take you as little as two minutes, or as much as a few weeks. It all depends on what you want to do. There’s no right or wrong.

If you want my advice, do it quickly. Don’t over-think it. Go with your instinct. Make it solid, but remember — don’t let yourself get stuck! You can always change it later.