1/Preparation – read, jot down your ideas, keep your eyes and ears open for conversation, new experiences, a gathering of thoughts. 2/Incubation – during this time, ideas begin to become sticky – forming concepts. Stories form, characters appear and plots reveal themselves. Think about mind maps, plot sketches etc. 3/Excitement – the moment you realise you have a great idea! 4/Evaluation – is your idea really a great idea? Be critical. 5/If the answer is yes, its time to begin writing. 6/Obstacles? find your inner child. Be curious. 7/Set a writing pattern? do you write everyday? at weekends? on the way to work? 8/Be in charge of your writing time – put a ‘do not disturb’ on your door – even if its for 20 minutes a day. 9/Make time to think. This is as important as the writing time. Go for walk/runs/swims – exercise can release new ideas and shape those you have. 10/Create a personal space – put photos up which connect to your book – quotes or objects which will help inspire you.