Do you find traditional writing advice overwhelming and cumbersome but still struggle with procrastination when trying to organize your scattered thoughts? I do. I’m a slow writer and an even slower reader, frequently sidetracked by my own imagination.

In my efforts to tackle these pickles, I’ve read tons of books and guides on writing, each one sounding like the perfect solution at first. Unsure of what I was looking for, I filled pages of notes, sometimes as long as the books themselves. But soon, the delete key became my go-to weapon. What remained were the strategies that actually helped. This is the result: a concise guide based on the reality that nothing ever goes according to plan.

For each topic, I’ll explain the reason and methods and suggest some options. But at the end, I’ll tell you exactly what to do, because I know you will get distracted and try everything! Setting constraints boosts creativity and makes the writing process more enjoyable. Adding complexity is easy, but simplifying a chaotic mess is much harder.