Writing coach Jessica Page Morrell explains the five basic rules that every writer should follow

1. Set goals: Let's face it, goal setting has a bad rap in our culture. It's linked with New Year's resolutions, diets and promises made to our mothers - in other words, hard to follow, easy to break. Another way to fail.

But we all need a measuring stick - a way to check in with ourselves and take honest stock of what we've done and what we plan to do next. If you think back on the main accomplishments of your life, they were probably begun with a specific plan and a systematic method that lead to completion. Write down your goals and make them realistic, measurable and concrete. Commit to big, ambitious, five-year goals and practical, doable goals such as tidying your desk every night. Once you've committed to your goals, post them in places where you'll see them often.

2. Pay attention: Life presents endless opportunities for writers. The world brims with interesting people and events, news stories intrigue us with their mysteries and tragedies. Fascinating strangers gossip at the next table; a sad-eyed woman strolls past and we wonder at her obvious sorrow. You hurry through the airport and spot a dozen stories at the check-in desk; even your fellow passengers' luggage seems to scream a message. It's been said that a writer is someone on whom nothing is lost. Keep your heart, eyes and ears open. Notice, listen, take notes, borrow from life.

3. Think like a writer: Writers are different from ordinary mortals. They flit through life with their antennae tuned to the moods and marvels of the planet. Like a detective, they're always asking why, searching for answers, for truth. Their heads are full of books. And they simply love to think, tracking their thoughts like a bloodhound on the scent.

So if you count yourselves among this tribe, don't simply plod through your days, don't merely exist, don't just go through the motions. Trace what lies beneath the problems you wrestle with. Question your beliefs. Analyse what you think of greed, dishonesty, adultery. Explore themes that creep into your relationships. Wonder about the people you meet. Ask yourself about where your passions lie. Ask yourself about the roads you never travelled, the risks not taken. Struggle to make sense of your experiences. Write about issues that keep you awake in the middle of the night. Muse over your heartbreaks, betrayals and disappointments and, of course, savour your triumphs; but then go a step further and put them into words.

4. Connect to your past: Some of our greatest material can be gleaned through our childhood memories. These memories are the doorway to our authentic writing voice and a rich source of stories and anecdotes. Our childhood memories also stir our emotions and, in turn, strike a chord within our readers. Connecting to your past is a way to meet your younger self and through this child's eyes, to see the world anew and render experience through the senses.

Begin by looking at old photos. Make a list of memories, especially noting those that stand out, still frighten, annoy or make you laugh. Write about your grandparents, siblings, cousins, classmates and friends. Write about rituals, holidays, landmark events and family vacations. Recall family stories, legends and anecdotes. Ask your elderly relatives about the family history. Reread the books that you read as a child.

5. Live a little: There seems to be too much emphasis on what we must give up by writing - because obviously all our distractions, hobbies and time-wasting idleness will be changed if we take up writing. But writing is not about retreating or withdrawal. True, there will be many hours spent alone wrestling with words and ideas. But writers need to take in experiences and sensations so they can transmit them back to their readers. Writers need to fall in love, with words, with partners, with children. Writers need to garden and dance and sing. Writers need to invite friends over for dinner, check out the latest film, go to the theatre, ballet and concerts, visit museums, clubs and bars.

In other words, for goodness sake, live a little. Or better yet, live a lot. If you never fall in love, how can you write about a lovers' spat, or reconciliation, or the annoying habits of your beloved? If you lock yourself away, what will you write about?