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This is super helpful Noor! For years my biggest obstacle has been "I don't know what to write," but typically in the sense of having too many ideas, not too few. But I think some of the solutions are the same. Getting ideas organized with a system like PARA is a way to tame the noise and soothe the analysis paralysis by ensuring I'll eventually come back to any meaningful ideas, even if it's years down the line, giving my brain permission to focus and commit to one in the present.

This same thinking is why I've made my novel pipeline public. Check it out on my sit if you're curious! https://www.takim10yearsovernight.com/

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Hi Takim! I checked out your site, looks like we're on a similar journey. Lovely to meet you fellow traveler. I love your concept of 10 years/overnight success. The countdown is a fun addition.

Glad you found this piece helpful. Getting my ideas organized has been so helpful to my process. Lately I've started using Obsidian as my "second brain" and that has been even better at capturing my thinking. That tool has kind of a learning curve as compared to One Note but the payoff has been well worth it.

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Yay!

I'll take a look at Obsidian. Lately I've been using Google Keep notes app as my "inbox" for quick thoughts on the go, and playing with Notion as my more permanent knowledge management tool... but honestly I'm still in experimentation phase and haven't found what works best for me yet (maybe we're always in experimentation phase!)

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I have discovered it is funny (and distracting) to ask ChatGPT Dave to give me a boost, to battle my gremlins, and to praise me in ridiculous ways to get me out of my head.

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Love that idea, will have to give it a try sometime.

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Thanks so much for this Noor. I think that the best advice is just to write any old thing, with no constraints at all. Within the stream of consciousness that emerges, there will be one of two diamonds and gold nuggets buried in the poo. As long as there isn’t too much poo to sort through, it’s a worthwhile exercise. The very fact that you are putting words on a page is valuable in itself.

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Exactly! That's what I keep telling myself, and it has helped me get the words down. Bad words, crappy words for sure, but there's some gold in there! :)

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Yes! I also have to listen to writing podcasts or read a book about writing for a timed-period to get started with the writing part of my day. I also find it helpful to belong to a writer's group, so my brain rehearses the message "I am a Writer and Writers Write".

Thanks for your sharing.

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I love that mantra: "I am a writer and writer's write." I'll use it!

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