In this instance, write the title you've chosen for your first chapter. I use
colored pencils and paper for this part of the process so that I can doodle all around
the page, but feel free to open a new document in your word processor if you want to
type.
If you don't have a topic or a title for your chapter, just get a blank sheet of
paper or open a new document, and keep following the steps of the process.2.^ Ten minutes of research^
(^)
This research process is really just an early-warning for your subconscious mind, to
stimulate it and to get it to start coming up with material.
I tend to browse the Web for research whatever I happen to be working on,
because I can always find something that starts me thinking. For example, one week I
was ready to work on five radio spots for a jewellery store. I browsed online jewellery
stores, and museum sites. Within five minutes I hit on an information nugget that
stimulated a train of thought. Whatever topic you're writing on for your proposal,
browse a few Web sites which are related.
3.^ Word lists^
(^)
I love word lists. They take no effort at all, and they're ideal for kick-starting any kind
of writing. I use them for fiction, for non-fiction and for copywriting. I also write
them just for practice, to get my brain ticking over. Here's part of a word list I wrote
this morning: "Glamor fear isolation energy deliver storm glow wind moon rush
generosity travel stream voice density". You can see that on one level, it's just a
laundry-list of words. On another level, what if I asked you to write half a page of a
story, using these three words: "Fear Storm Generosity" somewhere in the first
paragraph? You could do it, and you'd find it easy.
I could use this list to develop a scene for a chapter in a novel, or to develop a
new character for the novel. But I'm currently working on an advertorial for digital
imaging products for a computer magazine, so the word list gives me some ideas to
play with for that. The list even gives me some ideas I could develop for magazine