How To Increase Writing Productivity Part 1

This week, I'm sharing my notes from the keynote speaker at this year's StoryMakers Conference, Kevin J Anderson. I'm sure most of use struggle to find time to fit in our desire to write, or maybe that's just me. Kevin had some great ideas that I'm passing on, then next week I'll add my own (at least what has worked up until now). :)

Kevin J Anderson

Writing Productivity

You have to make it for yourself. Find the time & make the most of it

Tips for increasing writing productivity

(He began my gives us these ideas to think about and figure out where we fight into the numbers game.)

Writing one book per year, it’s virtually impossible to make a living.

“Be prolific or starve”

part-time writer=one bk a yr

1-2 hrs

10 hrs

full-time writer=8 hr, 7 days

9 wks

5-6 bks a yr

FAST writing doesn’t mean BAD writing

A Christmas Carol—6 wks

As I Lay Dying—6 wks

A Clockwork Orang—3 wks

on the Road—20 days

Fahrenheit 41—9 days

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde—1 wk

Now for the tips:

1—shut up and write (carve out time, let people know you’re at work, go into the “office”) focus mode in Microsoft

2—Defy the Empty Page (If you’re stuck, move on, fill it in later)

3—Dare to Be Bad (at first) then fix it, It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does have to be finished. It’s easier to fix existing prose than to write a perfect prose to begin with.

4—Know the Difference Between WRITING & EDITING, you can always go back and make changes, don’t go back while you’re going forward

5—Use Every Minute. Learn to write at the drop of a hat, you never know how much time you’ll get. Think about stories when you have the time. Plot out, think about then you can write when you have a chance

6—Set Goals for Yourself and Stick to Them. Set realistic goals, set one you can achieve,         Writers of the Future Contest.com

7—Work On different projects at the same time, projects in different stages

8—Create your best writing environment (noise canceling headphones) look at your set up so you don’t hurt back, arms, wrists, arms 90 degrees, neck not down, back straight

9—Think outside the keyboard, digital recorder, talk to yourself, walk until you have a chapter dictated

10—Get inspired, go places, do things, take classes, learn things

11—Know when to stop.

HAPPY WRITING!