Mistake #1 avoided: Distraction overload.

Emails, Twitter, the 40,000 tabs on your browser - how can you not be distracted when they're right in front of you and you accidentally click on something you can't unsee?

When I've done a certain amount of research or it's just time to write, I close my laptop lid and move to paper. It's a ritual and a behavioral cue that It's Time to Write, and I can't open my digital Pandora's Box until the outline is written.

A computer is great for many things, but it isn't optimized for focus and a lack of distraction. A paper and pencil is a simple set of tools that allows only for one thing - writing.

Mistake #2 avoided: Overwriting.

Writing by hand is tedious, effortful and time-consuming compared to typing. As a result, I often write in short-hand and in succinct sentences that get to the point.

It's harder to add superfluous detail and words and get carried away with my what-I'm-sure-are-interesting thoughts.

If you don't want to hand write it, your readers probably don't want to read it.

Mistake #3 avoided: Over-editing.

When typing thoughts out, there's a temptation to edit constantly as you write. This can be super disrupting to getting your ideas out and into the flow of writing.

Writing on paper encourages a more fluid drafting process, with editing reserved for later stages.

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