Think of writing the first draft as a separate activity from either planning or editing. Be guided by the following principles.

• Write quickly. Don't ponder over words. Keep going. Leave gaps if necessary. Aim for a natural flow.
• Write in your own voice. Expressing yourself in your own way will help you to say what you mean more exactly. If your reader can 'hear' your voice, reading will be easier.
• Write without interruption. Try to find a time and place where you can think and write without distractions.
• Write without editing. Don't try to get it right first time. Resist the temptation to edit as you go. You will tend to get stuck and waste time.
• Keep to the plan of your outline. Use the sentences from your outline to focus what you want to say. If you find yourself wandering from the point, stop and move on to the next sentence in the outline.