WRITING A MYSTERY IS LIKE DIETING by J.L. Greger
Before you say no, think about this standard advice to dieters. 1 . Set realistic priorities . You are more apt to attain small achievable goals (such as losing a pound a week or writing a page a day) than larger goals with artificial deadlines (for example losing fifty pounds before your class reunion or writing a three hundred-page novel by Christmas). 2. Control problems and distractions . For writers, the distractions on the Internet are comparable to high fat, sugary foods to dieters. Perhaps this advice from Murder… A Way to Lose Weight will help you sort through your clutter . “There are three types of problems. A few problems are like wine. Those situations improve if you delay decisions and let them age. Most problems are like waste paper. You can ignore them because they don’t matter. Unfortunately like waste paper, they tend to be messy when they pile up. And some problems are like manure. You must identify them quickly before they stink.” 3. Be prepare