| Step 1 - CollectCollect what? Collect | | | | |
| everything. If you are writing nonfiction | | | | This is the fun part! This is simply the act |
| you will collect information about your | | | | of actually communicating everything that |
| topic. You might collect magazine clippings, | | | | you've put together from the first two steps. |
| newspaper articles, along with various notes | | | | In other words, write it down! The sorted, |
| and quotes from any variety of sources. You | | | | organized collection that you have from steps |
| might also collect things like sights, sounds | | | | one and two is now your outline. All you have |
| (record audio), and smell (take notes about | | | | to do is follow your notes in order and write |
| how things smell). If you're writing a novel | | | | about each note and topic in turn. If you |
| the things you collect will be differ a | | | | have your notes broken in to sub-categories, |
| little from this. Instead you'll collect | | | | treat each one as a book in itself. This |
| thoughts, ideas, character ideas, and scene | | | | allows you to focus on just one small part at |
| ideas, along with any information (similar to | | | | a time rather than trying to tackle an entire |
| the above) that involves research for your | | | | book all at once. Just get through one |
| novel. If you're writing a crime novel you | | | | section, and then, move on to the next. |
| might collect information above the criminal | | | | |
| justice system. If you're writing a romance | | | | If you have done this right, by step 3 your |
| you might collect notes and ideas from | | | | book is practically written for you. |
| relationship books, dating websites, and your | | | | |
| own relationships and experience. The | | | | "What about grammar?" Here's a little secret |
| important thing to do is to collect, and to | | | | about grammar and punctuation: 90% of your |
| do nothing but collect at this phase. Don't | | | | grammar and punctuation problems will go away |
| analyze stuff; don't try to figure out the | | | | if you will keep your writing (and by |
| order of things too early. Just collect! | | | | writing, I mean your sentences) short, |
| | | | concise, and to the point. Keep it short. |
| Step 2 - Categorize | | | | Keep it simple. The best writers aren't the |
| | | | ones who have sentences three paragraphs |
| In this step, you are free to unleash your | | | | long. The best writers are those who can get |
| inner control freak. Organize, categorize, | | | | the same information across in just a few |
| analyze, criticize, hypothesize... I think | | | | words-no matter how complex the topic might |
| you get the point. The whole purpose of this | | | | be. As for novels, if you can "move" people |
| stage is to take what you collected in the | | | | with 5 words as opposed to 50, you are doing |
| previous stage and organize it into an order | | | | a great thing. |
| that makes sense. Read the articles and | | | | |
| books, sift your notes down to the finest | | | | Knowing and applying these simple steps can |
| details, and sort it all out into related | | | | be the difference between having a dream of |
| areas that make sense together. Once you | | | | writing a book and having a stack of books |
| have the related areas grouped together, put | | | | that you've written. I have written five |
| those "categories" into an order from first | | | | books so far using this method. One of the |
| to last. If you have a ton of notes and | | | | books describes this method in detail and is |
| other collected stuff, don't stress about | | | | available for free online (How To Write |
| trying to tackle the whole pile at once. | | | | Almost Anything). |
| Just take part of it, and work on ONLY that | | | | |
| part until you have it organized and sorted. | | | | You've just learned one of the easiest |
| Then grab some more notes and do the same | | | | systems of writing in existence. Whether |
| thing with those. You can add to either if | | | | you're 40 years old or 10 years old you can |
| you need to later. Once you have everything | | | | use these steps to accomplish just about any |
| analyzed, described, and sorted you can then | | | | writing task that is set before you. Go |
| move on to the third step in the process. | | | | ahead and try it and you'll see. Your new |
| | | | writing career starts now! |
| Step 3 - Communicate | | | | |