1. The first sparks of an idea can feel like play. Embrace it! Go for long walks daydreaming about your burgeoning story. Sketch and doodle the characters you're imagining. Make maps of the worlds coming to life in your mind. Write snippets of scenes that come to you even if you don't know where they belong in your eventual draft (and even if you're the planning type!).

2. Write the "back of the book" to get yourself excited about your story and to get to the heart of what you'll be writing - even if you don't know the ending yet (they don't include the ending there anyway!). Write it just for yourself.

3. Rest your draft before you revise, and build in rest periods between revision sweeps. Come back to your work with fresh eyes and a fresh mind.

4. When you begin your revisions, read through your manuscript once through without making any changes at all. If anything, highlight phrases and sections that are already singing. Begin the revision process from a position of strength and possibility.

5. When you're ready to zone in on details (like sentence structure, word choice, the tone of certain scenes), read your manuscript out loud. Let your ears help you to tweak what your eyes somehow cease to see...

My new book "The One Week Writing Workshop: 7 Days to Spark, Boost or Revive Your Novel" is actually all about tips and strategies just like this for anyone wanting to learn how to write a novel. Please check it out by going to my author profile.

Thanks, and happy writing! - Karin Adams