Draw Upon Drawing when Developing Projects

See this crude drawing? I just grabbed an index card and a marker and drew this. It's a mockup for a scenario that could be the basis for a novel chapter. Took me 30 seconds. Now, why would I inflict my lack of art on you all? I mean, look at that man's head! Is that even a head? And the flying saucer -- looks more like a sinking speed boat. Please.

Crude though my drawing may be, you do get a very clear sense of what the dramatic tension is all about in my fictional fictional book.

Ignite Your Ideas With Social Proof

Once again I'm pushing my students to get social proof of their ideas. It's a simple principle: at each stage of development, circulate your thoughts to get feedback. When others show interest (or provide suggestions), then you start taking your own ideas seriously and have the fuel to invest more effort into what you are doing.

There are several different types of people one can seek out for social proof:

1. Homies
   People with whom you have close, friendly relations and would be willing to listen to anything you say just because of that relationship. 
2. Peers
1. Those you know who are in a comparable position (e.g., fellow students)
2. Those you do not know who are in a comparable position (e.g., others who are beginners with your topic also)
3. Enthusiasts
   Those that demonstrate a great interest in your topic, as manifest in content they have curated, events they have been part of, or efforts they have organized to serve that topic
4. Experts
   Credentialed people like scholars, scientists, or other professionals whose job it is to know that topic. Their expertise is evident in formal publications, degrees, or positions of authority.

(I describe these types of people in more detail in "Make Your Content Legit: Four Phases of Social Proof")

These types of people roughly correspond to three types of content or three different levels of development I've discussed previously: