I like starting with action. We writers are often excellent at observation. A lot may be going on in the depths below the surface, and there’s certainly something to be said for that, but it traps us in two ways.

First, we can be inclined to shy away from action in our stories. Ensconced at our desks or cafe tables, where moving fingers at a keyboard or pen across page constitutes triumphant action, we can forget the urge to intervene, to block, to force, to act. Make sure your characters don’t get stuck behind your desk.

Second, keep that action of writing going. This is the way that writing is like physical exercise. Repetition builds strength. (Write that scene another way, try that sentence again.) Constant movement works cardio. Free writing’s first rule is, keep your hand moving (according to free writing guru Natalie Goldberg). I’d add, keep your writing practice active. It’s the doing more than the having hone that matters from the start.

A Practical Alphabet for Writers: Find all the letters so far at https://bookwritingworld.com/blogs/