Run a search for “increase writing productivity” and you’ll get over 170 million hits. Some ideas work, while some seem just bizarre. I tend to be a slow writer–no consistent writing time, plenty of interruptions, and difficulty finding a quiet place to write are frequent impediments to my writing. I can’t change my house (much as I wish I could), nor can I change the interruptions.
I figured there had to be ways to improve my word count, even working within my limitations. This week’s reading theme, therefore –> how to increase your writing output. Here’s what stood out:
Eight Tips for Increasing Your Writing Output, From a Very Busy Writer. No excuses, no holds barred, this article gives useful tips for time-crunched writers (especially writer-parents). As Rob Hart says, “Look, this isn’t easy. You spend a lot of time by yourself, wondering if whether the thing you do is working. And sometimes, it isn’t… [Either] you can get past that, or you can’t.”
How I Tripled My Weekly Writing Output. How much writing are you capable of producing in a week? The answer may surprise you. Ryan Nelson offers 8 tangible things you can do right now to increase your output. Personally, I found the idea of “blogging units” most useful and will be incorporating this into my planning going forward.
Guest Post: How I Went From Writing 2,000 Words a Day to 10,000 Words a Day. In this SWFA guest post, Rachel Aaron introduces the triangle of writing metrics, which is built on knowledge, time, and enthusiasm. Myself, I’m usually lacking in time more than anything else, which makes it difficult to become enthusiastic about writing. Now I’m looking for ways to hack my schedule so I can carve out more useful writing time–and I’ll be tracking the results, as Rachel recommends.
Productivity and You: How to be a More Efficient Writer. Simple, classic tips abound in this NY Book Editors post on productivity. From blocking out time (and sticking with it) to forcing yourself to just plain writer more, there are good ideas here that will help get you back on track and writing more (and more consistently).
Added to my to-be-read list:
5,000 Words Per Hour: Write Faster, Write Smarter, by Chris Fox
Write Better, Faster: How to Triple Your Writing Speed and Write More Every Day, by Monica Leonelle
Writing Faster FTW, by L.A. Witt
2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What you Love, by Rachel Aaron
Writing in Overdrive: Write Faster, Write Freely, Write Brilliantly, by Jim Denney
Faith. Hope. Coffee. 