1. Start your story
When we start writing any kind of fiction, we have an idea to begin with and not the entire picture.

2. Just Breathe
In the first draft, sometimes the scenes flow so fast on the page that it feels as natural as breathing.

3. Fire up your imagination
It is only when we explore a wide array of possibilities on the page, that we can create a story that gives solace to the readers.

4. Uncork the storm on page
The stories we finish in the final draft are clear and balanced. But in the first draft, they always begin with a chaotic storm of imagination.

5. Flesh out the characters
It is our characters’ actions that give us the next event as a reaction. Nothing moves without solid characters.

6. Persevere, not procrastinate
Researching for fiction is like falling down the rabbit hole. We are cascaded with a barrage of information. But most of it is irrelevant. In the end, the final draft will be a product of 90% imagination and 10% information.

7. Kill your darlings
Saying goodbye to well-written prose is hard. But sometimes even the most eloquent words slow the story and stall the reader’s interest. Learn to say goodbye to those words in the final draft.
