Anytime I was alone, I had a blast pretending I was a character in one of my stories. That was my idea of FUN, especially since my characters lived exciting, adventurous, action-packed lives.

The only problem was that I didn’t have the confidence or courage I needed to admit to anyone I wanted to be a writer. After all, who was I to think I could write something others would enjoy reading? I was just me–quiet, shy, strange little me.

Some things, though, were too good not to write down. Only I hid everything I wrote. I didn’t want anyone to think I thought I was a writer. I was just me–quiet, shy, strange little me–not somebody important enough to be a writer.

I didn’t chase my dream back then because I didn’t think I was allowed to be a writer. I thought someone had to give me permission to be who I wanted to be and do what I wanted to do. I thought I had to wait until I was all grown up to even think about living my dreams.

I was totally, completely, 100% WRONG.

No matter how old you are, if you want to be a writer, all you have to do is START WRITING!

To prove it, I’m going to start writing my second novel today. And I’m going to invite you along for the whole novel writing journey.

Every Tuesday, I’ll update you on my book writing progress and share my writing tips, secrets and strategies with you. That way you can write your own story alongside me and start living your writing dream NOW.

For instance, here are the tools I use to write a novel:

• A computer (for typing)
• A pen (for writing in my notebook and on index cards)
• A notebook (for brainstorming story, character and setting ideas)
• Colored index cards (for summarizing each scene)
• My unique imagination (for making stuff up)

And here’s how I use my tools:

• First, I use my imagination to make up characters and picture where they go, what they do and what they say.
• Second, I use the index cards to summarize where I see them going, what I see them doing and what I hear them saying.
• Finally, I’ll use my notebook or computer to write the details. (Sometimes I feel like writing the story in my notebook and sometimes I feel like just typing it on the computer.)

I’ll imagine a few scenes worth of action, summarize on the index cards what I see in my mind and write out the details in story format.  Then I just keep repeating the process until the story I want to tell is over.

That’s my writing system. What’s yours?

To your dreams,
Bonnie Jean

P.S. Here’s another tip: let yourself write a really, really, really bad first draft (which is what I’m doing with the draft I’m starting today). You can always go back and make it better, but it’s way too easy to get stuck and not write anything if you’re trying to write a great first draft. Letting yourself write badly takes the pressure off and makes writing more fun.