Life sometimes gets in the way of achieving your writing goals. We all have other commitments, whether it be school, work, socializing with friends, dating, taking care of loved ones, etc. That said, we all aspire to finish our manuscripts and maybe share them with readers. Here are a few quick tips to help you boost your writing output.
Tip #1: Stick to a consistent writing schedule
Designate a period during the week for your writing sessions. If you are working a 9-5 job, for example, setting aside a few hours on the weekends is probably most convenient for you. Perhaps you are able to get an hour or two of writing done on weekdays after work at night or in the morning before your commute. I even know a few writers who sneak in a few hours of writing while on the job!
Personally, I like to write for three-to-four hours during the afternoon on weekends. That is not to say I succeed every time in following through with those scheduled sessions. Unexpected events happen. Sometimes, it is in the best interest of both my mental and physical health to postpone writing for another time. Nevertheless, I make a genuine effort to clock in my hours.
The writing sessions themselves do not have to be too long; an hour per week is sufficient. But if nothing is stopping you from writing for eight hours a day, then go for it! The key takeaway is to design a flexible writing schedule tailored to your unique circumstances and sticking to it as best you can.
Tip #2: Choose a place for writing with minimal distractions to help you focus
Find the appropriate environment to write in that helps you stay focused and inspires your inner muse. For some, this may be cafes or the local library; for others, like me, this may be their room.
Generally speaking, you want to choose a place that has minimal distractions to give you enough headspace. Other aspects worth considering include the quality of the chair and desk you occupy, access to windows/natural lighting, safety, and proximity to snacks. It may also be useful for some people to wear headphones to listen to music/sounds to tune out any distracting noises in the background.
You will spend hours upon hours writing in whichever spot you choose, so ensure the place is right for you and your creativity needs!
Tip #3: Write in bursts with breaks in between
Pace yourself during your writing sessions to produce words at a consistent and manageable rate. I like to write for 50 minutes and then take a 10-minute break (50-10). Other variations include 60-15, 30-10, 15-5, etc.
The breaks in between help you rest and reorganize your thoughts, as well as premeditate what you want to write next. Moreover, they provide you the opportunity to go to the washroom, get a snack, and stretch your legs.
Important to note, that the time allocated for ‘writing’ does not necessarily have to involve getting words down on the page minute-after-minute. Exerting yourself mentally to flesh out the details of the subject matter is (in my opinion at least) a productive use of your time, which brings me to my next tip.
Tip #4: Do not set word quotas for yourself
This may be the most controversial tip on my list. Setting word quotas is a common practice among creative writers that I advise against. The reason being that they induce unnecessary stress and entice writers to produce ‘word vomit’ rather than carefully thought out, coherent sentences.
While word quotas can help writers quickly complete the first draft of their manuscript, they come with the risk of premature burnout and spending excessive time on rewrites and edits for later drafts.
I recommend opting for a holistic, quality-over-quantity approach that takes into consideration that certain scenes/topics take a longer time to think and write about compared to others. For myself, I am usually proficient at writing action sequences but struggle with sensory descriptions. As such, I do not beat myself over having to invest more time to work out the latter than the former.
By taking your time and not rushing the completion of the first draft of your manuscript, writing becomes much more enjoyable, and you increase the likelihood of producing a strong foundation for your story that requires minimal maintenance afterward.
Tip #5: Read often and regularly
I like to think of reading and writing as breathing in and breathing out, respectively. Reading both within and outside your specialized genre is a great way to find inspiration and gain insight into different writing styles and techniques.
Since reading is a more leisurely, lower-effort activity compared to writing, it is relatively easier to find convenient times to read during the week. I like to read every night before I head to bed. On the weekends, I read in the morning before my afternoon writing sessions. Other convenient times for reading might include during your lunch break at work or on your commute from and to home.
I assume most people reading this article are already avid readers anyway or were at some point in their lives. However, as we pursue our own creative writing projects, we must remember to set aside some time to engage with the works of the ones before us.
Get Writing!
Time to sit down and crank out some words. Incorporate these tips into your writing routine to achieve your writing goals and finish your manuscript.
Which of the writing tips did you find the most helpful? Do you agree or disagree with any of the tips on the list? Let me know in the comments!
Scheherazade 
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