How to manage the creative process when writing a book

Met up with a client yesterday to check on her progress with writing a book. 

She brought up a couple of issues one of which was time management; she's a busy mum, running her own business, house etc etc.

But the biggest issue she had was about the creative process.  As a perfectionist, and we all are to some degree in that we want to get it right, she was worried about sabotaging the creative process.

I can understand her concern because many would be writers I meet do just that thing.

Stop themselves writing.

Often before they start because they're scared to start...

but more often when they start because they can't help meddling with what they've written.

Bad move.  Very bad move.  Why?

Because you need two completely different mindsets for writing, that is the actual getting down of the words on the page, and editing.

The problem is that many people try to combine the two.  They read back what they've just written and think I can improve that.

Well probably they can and probably they should.  But not at the creative stage. 

It's almost like shifting down a gear when you're on a straight fast motorway.  Like trying to turn right where there isn't a right turn.  So you bang into a crash barrier. 

And that's your creative urge squashed for that session.

It's very difficult to pick up speed again.  Can be done but it takes more guile and experience than most beginner writers have.

What you should do therefore is keep going.  Put your foot down, in writing terms and power on. 

Forget about grammar.  Forget about spelling.  Forget about factual accuracy.

All those things can be fixed.  At a later stage and in a different mindset.

When you write;  WRITE