It doesn’t matter if this is your first novel or a second one that you are struggling with, a bit of help in getting your focus back on track never goes amiss. The practical tips here will help you to go from your very first word to the last.

Reach the End

Too many people spend time polishing their work as they write without knowing what the ending is going to be. Get to the end of your story first and then go back and do the polishing.

Write Something Else

If you find yourself stuck in a rut, you can’t push forward and you just can’t figure out one of your characters, put your manuscript away and go write something else. Make it something completely different or even make it the first part of your next book. Leave your manuscript for a while, then go back and read it; you will see it through the eyes of a reader, not a writer. You might love it, you might find things you want to change, and you may even have the answers on how to push forward.

Set a Timer

Work for 45 minutes straight and then walk away for 15 minutes. The minute your timer begins, force yourself to start writing and keep going until the timer goes off. During your break, go do something completely unrelated – don’t check Facebook, your email or anything like that. You will find that your subconscious mind frees up and you can tackle some of the issues your manuscript is putting in your way. When you sit down for your next stint, you will find that you are further forward without having to try.

Set Goals That You Can Attain

Some writers will set themselves a goal to write so many words per day, or so many pages. It is probably easier to set yourself a certain amount of time instead. If you get interrupted, the time can be made up later in the day. Use the tip from above in with this one so you are making the most out of your writing time and keeping track of what you are doing.

Keep Some Work In Progress On Your Desktop

Make it something you never intend to publish. For some people, going straight into writing a novel first thing can be a scary thought. Keep something in progress that you can write and experiment with. Because you are not publishing it, you don’t need to write it that well but you can use it to get your mind going and get yourself into the frame of mind you need to write. Usually, a few minutes in and you will be ready to get on with your main task for the day.

Novel writing isn’t easy, despite all these people who say that anyone can write. Anyone can have a story but putting pen to paper and writing it is a different matter. Don’t panic if you get stuck; use these tips and the tips in the next part to get you moving again.