How to Become a More Productive Writer
Use this advice from established editor Stephanie Hoogstad to carve yourself more time to write and achieve your goals
Every day, the same problem: finding time to write. Between work, the dogs, and family, there’s hardly any time left in the day. When I find the time, I can’t seem to write a substantial amount. So, I started to wonder, how do I become a more productive writer? The answer is simple. A writer makes time to write. But how does a writer make time to write?
Force Yourself to Write
Don’t think, just write. If you find a spare moment in your schedule, even if you don’t feel like it or have “writer’s block,” just write. Better yet, set aside a block of time each day and dedicate it to writing. Treat it as sacred. No matter what comes out, no matter who tries to interrupt you, keep writing. The only way you’re going to get a substantial amount written and discover your true gems is to write until it becomes a habit.
Find Your Best Way to Write
Forcing yourself to write often sounds easier than it is. You must trick your brain into doing it. The best way to do that is to figure out how best you write. Is it in the morning or late at night? Do you focus best in complete solitude, or do you need conversations to eavesdrop on for inspiration? Do you write in one long marathon, or are you better with multiple short bursts? Find the method that works best for you.
Write Drunk1, Edit Sober
I’m not saying that you should write drunk, although Ernest Hemingway probably meant it that way when he originally said it. To be a productive writer, quiet that negative voice inside your head. When I say to “write drunk,” I mean to write when you feel less inhibited, such as when you’re hardly awake, after you’ve meditated, or, yes, even after you’ve had a drink or two1. If you feel less inhibited, you’re less likely to criticize yourself too harshly. You can always edit whatever you’ve spewed onto the page when your inhibitions are back up—or, according to Hemingway, when you’re “sober.”
Use a Time Management Tool
There are time management tools that can be useful in increasing one’s writing productivity. NPH likes: The Ticktime Pomodoro Timer, and alarm clock. One thing that can cut into productivity is constantly checking how much time you have left to write. Setting an alarm can reduce that paranoia. Let’s say you discovered that you can write for an hour at a time. So, you find when that hour is each day, set an alarm, and write until you hear the alarm. It’s that simple.
It all sounds too easy, right? That’s because all these tips require one key tool: motivation. You might want to write, but unless you are motivated to, you will never have the drive to be a truly productive writer. So, amidst all the tips, tools, and time management, never forget why you want to write in the first place. That is what will truly increase your writing productivity.
1 Friend of Bill? Don’t touch that stuff. Stick to sober writing, you know what we mean.
Read Stephanie longer articles on Hemingway’s advice here:
Writers on Writing: Ernest Hemingway
Writing Tips You Can Ignore by Stephanie Hoogstad
