Step by Step

All writers, whether beginners or professionals, can get overwhelmed with the prospect of completing a writing project. Often it's because they try to focus on the finished product instead of parsing it down into achievable steps. If you find yourself in this situation, try mapping out your project into a process that involves numerous small steps. This can be achieved by writing an outline; or, if you're more visually oriented, drawing a storyboard. Whatever method you choose, the important thing is to break an overwhelming task into a series of mini-successes that will keep you motivated and productive. It's ok to envision the whole picture, the finish line, to have a sense of where you need to go. But don't dwell on that vision. Instead, focus on a first small step you can take to get there. That first step might be writing a sketch for one character. It might be working on a first paragraph or a first sentence or a title for a first chapter. Whatever it is, make it small, make it doable, and give yourself a deadline for getting it done. Then create a second small step, and when it's done, a third, and so on. Approaching your writing in this way will ensure many small goals are reached along the way and it will keep you focused on the process. A book or a story or an essay doesn't seem so daunting if you break it down to a sentence or a paragraph at a time. It seems impossible if you try to do too much all at once. Take your time, stay simple, stay focused, and your project will be done before you know it.