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The Key to Getting More Writing Done

The Key to Getting More Writing Done

The Key to Getting More Writing Done
Photo by Dean Sas

The Key to Getting More Writing Done

Busy writers always want to know the key to getting more writing done in less time. They don't have time to waste, so they have to make the most of it. But often that's hard to do. Especially when they've got a million other things going on. Despite all of our challenges and struggles and distractions, there's one thing we need to remember if we want to get more writing done: stop letting irrelevant things take up space in your head.

There's a good reason for this. While it may seem that dwelling and coming up with witty remarks you wish you had said earlier can be rewarding, it actually hurts you. Not just in the long-term, but in the short-term as well. Any time spent dwelling on something that doesn't help you move forward is a poor use of your time.

We hear your complaints about not having time to write, but we also know, at least some of the time, you're spending that time you could be writing on useless clutter in your head.

As writers, we must make the most of our time. Most of us work full-time jobs to make ends meet or to support particular lifestyles. We don't have time to waste.

I have a temporary job of taking care of 500 chickens. That wasn't part of my plans, but that's what I have to do. That means I have 3-4 hours less than most writers have. And, of course, that's 7 days a week, not just 5. So, that leaves me with very little time to work on my personal writing goals. But I know that if I don't do everything I can to make time for writing and to get my writing done, I'll never be happy. My happiness depends on progress toward my personal writing goals.

Even when we're swamped, we still need to make time for writing. We need to make it a priority. It's easy to push things aside when we're busy or when we lack the energy to do anything other than sit on the couch and watch TV.

But where has that gotten us?

I've also talked about taking our writing seriously. If we don't, no one else will either. Friends and family will interfere, and we'll push our writing aside to go out for lunch or do housework.

If you're serious about writing, you need to treat it like a job. Schedule your writing time. Make it a priority.

Another thing you must do is make better use of your time. When you finally sit down to write, do you find yourself struggling to get words on the page? Do you look around your desk or your room and find ways to procrastinate? The desk needs to be cleared off, papers from four months ago need to be filed, the books you looked at last month need to be shelved. The list could go on and on.

You need to focus. Sure, it takes time to develop the habit, but get in the habit of avoiding everything other than writing during your designated writing time.

You might also need to learn to accept your current situation and to work around it to get your writing done. That's not to say that you can't change your situation–you certainly can. You just need to work toward changing it. In the meantime, learn how much writing you can handle and accept that for now. The important thing is to progress toward your writing goals, no matter how slowly.

Is there a time when you're most productive? Can you write during that time?

Once we figure out how we work best, we can start making the most of our time to get more writing done. I know it takes time to figure these things out, but it will benefit you in the long run. Develop a habit for writing, take it seriously, and let nothing stand in your way to writing success!

Jody Calkins
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