1. Set yourself a timetable
Okay, I know it's super organised and you may find it hard to stick to at first but trust me it really works. You need to know when you're going to be writing. I try and stick to regular working hours (well, without the early start) - 10 - 1 and then 2 - 6.
2. Turn your TV off ........
....... and do something more interesting instead (as 'Why Don't You?' used to tell us). We've pretty much stopped watching TV in our house and we are so much more productive. Okay, we're not going to miss Ricky Gervais's Extras or Catherine Tate but is it really necessary to watch Eastenders three times a week?!
3. Read a lot
Instead of TV watching get reading. In fact, timetable it in if you need to. And if you don't love reading then how do you expect other people to love reading your work!
4. Limit your research
Before I found an agent and publisher I was absolutely obsessed with other authors stories and I have to admit it was very inspirational but I would advise limiting your intake of this sort of stuff and instead get writing. Of course, this doesn't apply to reading my newsletter . . .
5. Write a lot
Someone told me this week that it would be like prison for him having to write every day. Well, if you vaguely feel like that I wouldn't go any further. You need to be writing all the time to experiment with voices and styles.
6. Set a target number of words each day
Ernest Hemingway went for 500. Some novelists go for 4,000. James Joyce was happy if he squeezed out a sentence. If you're serious about completing your novel I'd aim for somewhere in the region of 500-1,000 a day.
7. Have a separate writing area
Allocate an area of your house to writing and writing alone. This will help you switch on when you're writing, and switch off when you're not.
8. Turn your mobile off
Pull your landline out too, and tell your husband/wife/children/dog/goldfish that you're writing for the next two hours and they should only disturb you if the house is on fire.
9. Unlock your mind
Most of our lives we're trying to hide our deepest feelings from others. We try and pretend we like our boss, that our partner's haircut wasn't a bad idea, that yes we'd love to spend Christmas Day with our in-laws. Well, writing - that is to say, good writing - is the exact opposite of everyday life. You have to learn to unlock your mind and open up all your innermost thoughts. Of course, you don't have to write about real people or real events, but you have to write about real feelings, and that takes courage - and a lot of practice.
10. Don't wait for the muse to strike
You could be waiting forever. One of my favourite novelists Francois Sagan says that 'I write in order to think', and there is a lot of truth in that. It's kind of like learning to drive - you can only really make progress by getting behind the wheel. Except with writing you're less likely to crash into a tree or hit an old lady. The chances of a nervous breakdown are probably higher, though...........
Top ten motivational tips