Just in case you’re joining in late or need a refresher, let me recap my first six rules for writing just about anything before finishing up with Rule #7.

Rule #1:  Just start. Don’t worry about anything but getting words down so you have something to work with.

Rule #2:  Create an outline. It really will help you get where you’re going.

Rule #3:  Break that habit of using the verb “to be” and opt for strong, active verbs instead.

Rule #4:  Power up your prose with active sentence construction.

Rule #5:  Strenthen your writing by avoiding qualifiers like I think or I believe. 

Rule #6:  Bring the reader in by loading up on detail and texture.

And finally …

Rule  #7:  Cut the fat. Tightening your writing by eliminating all those little filler words that don’t enhance meaning adds power to your text.

Wordy:     She was thinking about all this as she wandered along the mountain trails when she stumbled on the hut.

Powerful:  Lost in thought, she stumbled on the mountain hut.

Though it helps to consider these rules when working on your initial draft, they’ll mostly come into play during the editing phase. So put your inner critic on hold until then; otherwise you run the risk of criticism-induced writing paralysis (also known as writer’s block). You’ll have plenty of time to drag out your inner critic/editor once you have a completed draft. Until then, just write!