Goodreads asked Jennifer Lieberman:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Jennifer Lieberman Just write it down, don't worry about it being good or making sense, just write, and keep writing if it pulls you.

I like to make maps of where I like to go before I actually start anything, I might write a phrase or a speech or a scene, but I don't tackle anything head on without a map or outline. I like to outline my story before I sit down to write it, I need to have an idea of the big picture as opposed to just sitting down and having a go at it.

Things will change, the story will go in directions I never imagined, I might throw out pages and then look for them weeks later...I am not married to the map, it just gives me bite sized chewable pieces to focus on at a time.

The map is great to help weave your plot together as new ideas come to you, you can mark up the map as you go reminding yourself to bring back characters or references or where you are in an arc of the b or c story line. Then it also serves as an index when you need to cut, or rework sections, and make sure not so cut a reference or situation that needs to be moved out of the cut section and remain part of the story.

Let me know if this was helpful.

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