Shocked to read that all you use is an outline and Word. What advice can you give to an author writing his first book? I have so many fantastic ideas and characters. My mind maps are very detailed. I have several notebooks and documents with details. I think I'm just afraid to finally start writing. How do you track the different plot points?

David Dalglish You can give Stephen King's On Writing a read. He does a great job being a cheerleader, and really making you feel like you can do this. Beyond that, um...if you want to write, then write. You've got the world? Awesome! Got the characters? If so, awesome! Now start writing. Pick one. Don't care who. Put them in this world you've made, and start telling their story. If this is your very first novel, don't worry about it sucking. It's probably going to. Have fun with it. Bounce between a few characters. Try some weird stuff.

Over time, and the course of that first novel, you'll learn a ton, and develop a lot of useful skills *so long as you keep dedicated to it and don't stop writing*.

After you crank out that first one, move on to a second, and do that one better. And maybe a third novel after that, and do that one even better. Or maybe call it good after that first single work, and still be proud of what you accomplished. All up to you. But certainly don't bog yourself down in history and maps and notes and convince yourself it's too much to handle. It really isn't.

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