Aways have writing tools on you.

Phone. Pen and paper. Laptop. A recording device. Whatever works for you.

There will be moments when you'll have a great thought, a wonderful idea. Jot it down. Stop doing what you're doing and catch your inspiration by the tail and quickly write it all down.

This is what we used to do as kids. Just do things spontaneously.

There are a lot of hurt people in the world. When you write and publish your book, be ready for those people to push back on your story, sometimes quite violently. 

Know this: THEIR OPINION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU OR YOUR WRITING.

No slacking, no excuses, no bullshit.

Writing requires discipline—the discipline of sitting down, the discipline of producing words, the discipline of not quitting, of continuously learning, and of focusing on perfecting your craft.

Writing is a profession.

Can a surgeon just watch a few videos on surgery and then think, “Hey, that looks easy enough. I can do that!” Would you trust a surgeon like that to cut into your body? Nope. You’d run away screaming.

Then why do so many people think, “Hey, I’ve read a bunch of books. Looks easy enough. I can do that!” 

Writing well takes years and years of dedicated learning, reading, and practicing. Just like with a surgery, a book will be successful ONLY if the writer has done their homework.

It’s tempting to rush yourself, to write faster.

Time is relative.

Think of it this way. You’re in it for the long run, right? Right.

What do you want your next 5 writing years to look like? What about 10? What about 20?

So what’s 10 days of slow, careful thinking against 10 years? 

Nothing.

In fact, slowing down will speed you up. I know, it seems counterproductive and against all reason. But we’re condItioned by society to have a time-famine mindset. There is never enough time, for anything.

Bullshit.

There is plenty of time, for EVERYTHING.

Remember that awesome feeling of euphoria or giddiness or joy when you were a kid and were reading (or an adult was reading it to you) a book about some awesome, fantastic adventures?

Where did that feeling go?

Imagine that instead of doing email every day (boring) you read that book again (exciting!) and felt like a kid again.