We’ve all been there:

You sit down before your open notebook or your computer, all set to begin crafting your magnum opus.

Or, you know, the first draft of your current project.

But let’s call it your magnum opus, because we’re shooting for some self confidence here.

There’s always that moment, just before you begin, where the blank page, or the little blinking cursor, appears to be mocking you. How are you ever going to start this scary new thing? You know exactly what you want to write about, yes, but where on earth to begin?

The point is: you just need to begin.

I often find that I put far too much pressure on myself, and my work, when I begin a draft. I was always a good little student–I still consider myself a scholar–and I’ve always pushed myself to get things right the first time.

Drafts don’t work like that.

Just get something onto the page, and keep going. You can always come back later to revise. Right now, you need to establish the structure and direction your work is going to take, and then later on you can worry about making everything sparkle.

And in a way, NaNoWriMo is a perfect opportunity to hone this practice.

You’ve got thirty days to crank out 50,000 words.

So just get cranking!

The best thing to do is to find a routine that works for you.

Some people have a certain time where they are most productive. Others need to be in a certain place, or they have some sort of ritual that helps them to write.

I find that my daily walk/run helps a great deal. It relaxes me, and gets me nice and awake and ready to face whatever it is I have to do that day. Listening to music also helps. If I have my ipod and a nice notebook, I can write anywhere and at any time. I make a point to get at least some work done each day, and I find that most times I’m further along than I realized!

Lots of people have written books full of advice for writers who want to turn their craft into a discipline. These are all rather thoughtful and helpful, but the important thing is figuring out what works for you.

So:

Don’t let the blank spaces scare you. It’s your job to fill them up, so just do it.

Just keep writing.