Faced with a clean sheet of paper or a blank word document on a computer, writing can seem like a daunting task. However with little self cajoling and some advice it can be a simpler task that first thought.

Draft Stage

1. Try not to be overly self critical when initially drafting out your work and write down many different ideas. Some of your most obscure ideas can become the most exciting when later honed and edited.

2. Don't worry about proofreading and correcting your work meticulously until you have a first draft assembled

3. Save your work little and often if you are using a computer and…

4. …always save your work on and USB or external drive as a backup, just in case your computer crashes!

5. When editing your work, use the 'find' feature to check your work for repeat words and phrases. You will be surprised at the amount of times you use a certain phrase. It also makes it easier to cull unnecessary words which hinder most writing.

6. Don't become too attached to your first draft. Although it may be the product of months or even years of work, try to distance yourself from it emotionally when you initially begin to revise it. Allow yourself to edit and hone- it is the route to great writing.

7. Check your facts. You may believe that George Michael was once the Prime Minister but it doesn't necessarily make it right. Accurate research is the backbone of solid writing and will pay off in the long term.

8. Don't try and embellish your work by adding in synonyms or digging out the thesaurus. The simple words that describe and action, speech or place (like 'said') are normally enough.

9. Once you think you have a perfect revised and edited manuscript, leave it for a day or two and then start the revision process again. Most probably, this draft will not look anything like the finished product (when your work goes to print).

10. But do not over edit. If you think you are ruining your work by editing it or you are too attached to your writing to be able to ruthlessly cull it then you should ask someone else read it through. Be prepared for criticism. Your writing is a product of your thoughts and therefore everything that you wished to convey may not be explicit on the paper. An external reader can help clarify and bring a reviewer perspective to your work.

And our free bonus tip ... don't be put off by rejection. Ask for feedback and try and look at your work objectively. Did you submit it to the right publishers or magazines? Is it good enough? Is it exciting and saying anything new? Try not to be despondent. View rejection as a challenge to kick-start a new editing process!

So in short, to write a successful piece … draft, save, check facts, revise but avoid over-editing and give yourself a few days before producing the finalised work.