Templates for writing business plans are easily found online, but most of them are unduly complicated. Gabrielle Melchionda from Mad Gabs likes a template she received from the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center.

To help you fill out yours, we've gathered tips from Guy Kawasaki, author of The Art of the Start and managing director of Garage Technology Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm.

Keep it simple. Stick to a clean layout and simple fonts like Ariel for headings and Palatino for text. Stapling is fine, too. 

Include the right stuff. The essentials you must include: executive summary, problem, solution, business model, underlying magic, marketing and sales, competition, team, financial projections, status, accomplishments to date, timeline and conclusion. 

Short is sweet. Don't go over 20 pages. For every ten pages more, you'll decrease chances that the plan will be read, much less funded, by about 25 percent. 

A good beginning counts. If your executive summary doesn't catch an investor's attention, your other 19 pages are pointless. Eighty percent of your effort should go into your beginning.

Simplify financial projections. Two pages are enough. Your cash flow is key, but investors don't need to know how many pencils you'll buy in 2010. Back up numbers with key metrics--the number of customers, locations and resellers, for instance. Use diagrams and graphs to explain complex points. 

Write it yourself. Doing your own plan forces you to work with your team and think about things you may have overlooked—like exactly what is your customer service plan? Be confident. Write as if you know what the future holds. You can change your plan when reality sets in.

Go above and beyond. Even if you're only asking for a small loan, produce a plan that exceeds expectations.