How To Increase Writing Productivity Part 2

By Bonnie Harris

If you missed Part 1--suggestions on writing more productivly from Kevin J Anderson, be sure to check it out.

I agreed with a lot of what Kevin had to say. In fact I've worked to implement at least one of his suggestions. I'm now telling people and doing my best to keep with writing
at the same time each day. To me, that goes with the "shut up and write" principle. Now, that doesn't always work because my son may or may not go down for his
nap at the same time each day, but I've found that it's even helped him sleep better if I'm consistent at
putting him down at relatively the same time each day.

So, here are a few more suggestions that I've found have worked for me.

• Write something every single day, whether it be in your current WIP or a journal or a blog entry or something along those lines. Write something to keep you in the habit of writing daily.
   
• One of the things we should do as writers is to read. So, I've choosen a day where I will focus on reading rather than working on my WIP. That's usually a day that I count writing in my journal as work. This has helped keep me up to date as to what is out there in the published world, and I've learned a thing or two as I read. :)
   
• Be ready to write whenever you can. If I can only squeeze out 5 minutes, then I take those 5 minutes and write a few sentences. That's more than not writing anything at all because we don't think we have enough time to get anything done. I have found time in between classes at a writing conference that I've sat in a corner and worked on some things. I've taken the spare moment when my husband has the kids to get what I can done. It's better than nothing.
   
• Have you ever noticed how much time we spend in the car? When I really think about it, I'm amazed. So, I've begun to utilize that time to plot and develop whatever I happen to be working on. New ideas will come and when I get a chance, I'll scribble them down. It's a chance to tune out the kids and dive into your book at least mentally.
   
• Always have paper with you. You never know when something will come. Then you'll have something to write it down on so you don't forget.
   
• Work on something different. If you feel like you're not sure where to go next with a plot line or a character, give it a rest. Start another story. Write a blog post. Do something else. Let your subconscious have a shot at it, and things will iron out faster than if you beat your head against a wall for days.
   
• The last thing I've rediscovered recently is taking a break. Breaks are good. Give yourself permission to not stress over you WIP for a few days or a few weeks. Then DON'T stress over it or beat yourself up because you feel like you should be writing. Our minds need breaks just as much as our bodies do. I think the hardest thing to do though, is giving yourself permission to relax. Give it a try. You'll be amazed at how refreshed you'll feel your break, and how much more productive you'll be.

These are things that are working for me. I hope they may give you some additional ideas to help you write more productively. Life is crazy and should be enjoyed. Hopefully these tips help. I'll share more as I discover more. In the meantime, HAPPY WRITING!