Knowledge

Start each session with a five minute, longhand outline, of what you want to accomplish.

Time

Timekeeping system -- hours at keyboard, number of words written.

Enthusiasm

Trash scenes you don't love.

If you are procrastinating or not making progress, ask yourself why? If you are not entertained, the reader is not going to be. Entertain yourself.

Is this really the story you want to write?

1. can't stop thinking about it.
2. it writes itself.
3. you can see the finished product.
4. You can easily explain why people would want to read it

Plotting

When you are stuck on plot, it's because you don't know something. Go work on something else. History. Character descriptions. Random scene that's not in the book. Anything.

characters

2-4 main 1-2 antagonists power players -- Dumbledore in Harry Potter

plot

End first. Then beginning then twists

Now, what kind of story is it?

Setting

make sure this setting is a character. What the fuck, draw a map.

Write a timeline. Write a plot. plot has 40-50 steps write a scene list Give it a boredom check.

Scene Checklist

Advance the story Reveal new information Pull the reader forward Set up a greater reveal later

For a chapter -- something must change e.g. Lawrence Block's chapter - "Chip, I'm pregnant."

Editing

sure, it's efficiency, but the key question is -- how can I prepare the reader for what happens next?

Things to Try

Try no internet. Try the dead guy's laptop. Try cafe. see delta when longer days versus shorter days.