1. Find out what works for you. Writing guides and tips and courses are helpful, but they only tell you what works for someone else. There is no right or wrong way to write a book; find a way of writing that suits you and stick to it.
2. Set yourself targets. A daily or weekly wordcount is a useful way of keeping track of how you’re doing. I’ve found 1000 words a day is manageable, but it’s different for everyone.
3. Don’t wait for inspiration. As Chuck ‘Fight Club’ Palahniuk rather brilliantly says, ‘Inspiration is for pussies.’ Get writing and hope that inspiration will follow.
4. Turn off the internet. No excuses. No, you don’t have to look up the annual GDP of Venezuela for an essential plot development – you can go back and add that later.
5. Coffee. Seriously. Do not underestimate the power of caffeine