Confessions Of A Writer (Part 2)

Confessing time!

• I wish I was more active. It’s hard to write and read when running or swimming.
• I think the writers of Criminal minds are geniuses. Do you know what I’d do to write like that? No, you don’t.
• In my free time, I watch a bit of everything. It satisfies my thirst for knowledge. And helps expand my imagination.
• My right hand looks nothing like my left. Scars, blisters, pen marks, you name it, my right hand has it.
• One summer I read all four Twilight books in 22 days. I can’t read nearly that quickly now.

Want to read part one? Of course you do!

I Shouldn’t Do These Things But I Still Do Them Anyway

Writing during TV commercials. 

Before you say anything, I’ll explain why I do this. Clearly I’m utilizing all the free time I have as best as I can. Although to be fair, most of the time, I shouldn’t be watching TV. I should be writing. Or studying. The former wins usually.

Reading and eating simultaneously.

Just to clarify, I don’t read books while I eat. It’s mostly text messages, emails, blog posts, and anything else I can access on my phone.

Blogging while I am in a rush.

Let’s not go there.

How To Write Fast

Oh no, you have a deadline to meet? Oh, the day is going to be over in two hours and you need to send in your manuscript to your editor before midnight? Wait a second, you forgot to write a blog post even though your promised the entire world you will post something every single day? Hopefully you’ll post something good every day too.

Life might make you hit the accelerator from time to time. Problem is how in the world are you possibly supposed to write so many words in so little time? Want some tips? This is the part where you nod your head and continue reading this post. Hey, if you like it enough you might end up liking this post or you could apply these tips to yourself, to your work. Both work perfectly fine with me.

WRITE EARLY IN THE DAY

Like the break of dawn. Like when every soul in the world is sleeping quietly, snoozing peacefully, and snoring loudly. Wake up earlier in the morning if you must. But when you do so you are not writing against the clock like I am doing right now. Instead you have an entire day ahead of you. That is when you get things done. That is how you increase your productivity. You’ll write more with more time. So carve out more time by getting up earlier.

STEAL TIME TO WRITE

Oh, you’re in class? Write. Oh, you’re at a traffic light? Write. Oh, you’re waiting to cross the street? Write. Okay, I am taking it to the extreme because some days I am a little delusional like today but more importantly these extreme examples help to emphasize my point. You’re given 24 hours in a day. No more, no less. Use it to your advantage. Exploit time. Do not let it exploit you. For all those people out there who think I write to fill up my free time (AHAHAHA good one, FREE TIME?! ME?) you are hilarious. Have I ever told you that?

SILENCE EVERYONE AROUND YOU

That includes silencing your inner editor and critic. Writers are so fond of saying murder your darlings right? So for now murder your inner editor and bring him or her back to life when you need him. For now go about and write. Write. WRITE. If you want to write fast you must shut your editor up. Albeit, you cannot silence it but you can try to ignore it.

Hopefully these three points will increase your word count, improve your writing speed, and allow you to get something done. Especially when a deadline is approaching or you have a baby crying in the background that you need to tend to. In that case, get up earlier, use every second you have to write, and shut everyone up.

Have a good, productive weekend everyone!