Things You'll Need:
- Pen or pencil
- Writing pad
- Computer
- Word processing program
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Step 1
Ask yourself why you write? David Morrell, the award-winning author of First Blood, the novel that started the Rambo series, says writers write to resolve an unresolved conflict or tragedy.
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Step 2
Once you have decided on your core emotion for writing, examine all the pieces you have written and look for evidence of your reason for writing.
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Step 3
Write a short piece or short story inspired by your core reason for writing. If you fear loss, write a story of lost love, family or wealth. If you fear commitment, try creating a character who commits to nothing.
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Step 4
Ask yourself if the writing flowed easily, as if the piece was writing itself. Many authors claim their characters write the stories for them. David Morrell says his stories insist on being written.
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Step 5
If the writing is not flowing, David Morrell says ask yourself these three questions:
Is the story good enough? Does it address my core emotion for writing?
Am I being too picky about the words or sentence structure?
Am I letting the story tell itself?
