ABSTRACT
This chapter includes practical suggestions on how to begin and continue writing, avoiding “writers’ block” by writing regularly and working on different writing tasks at the same time. Suggestions are given on use of lesser-known features of word-processing programs such as headings and the navigation pane that allow writers to move quickly between different sections of a document to record items relevant to a different part of the work without losing their train of thought. Citations in science normally use the author-date format, and will not change as others are added, but in the numerical system common in engineering they will change constantly. Therefore, use of placeholders is encouraged to allow novice writers to become familiar with the work of others in the field. Finally, the value of keeping multiple versions as well as multiple copies of a document is explained.
