Jumping to the middle

When writing something – whether a work of fiction or something factual – it often takes a little while to get started. The first few paragraphs feel a little like a warm up before exercising. So, here is an approach that will sharpen the writing.

Begin to write as you normally would. Carry on writing until you get to the end point. Then, review what you have written. Find the natural point in the writing where the work really kicks in: the point where you are actually in focus.

This is the point where you want the writing to begin. So, cut everything that comes before that – and you have two choices. You can either lose the earlier section if it doesn’t contribute anything, or move it further on in the writing.