Let’s dig into why you need an effective writing practice as well as five ways to quickly boost your writing to ensure that you’re on track and keep yourself motivated at all times.
Imagine this…
You haven’t written a word but have been thinking about writing for a long time.
You join writing classes but you can’t seem to start and the very thought of writing is daunting.
You’re paralysed as you stare at the blank page.
You go on a learning spree but haven’t been able to implement any of your learning towards your writing project.
Does this sound like you?
Not only do you need a writing process but you need an effective one that ensures that you write daily with the least amount of effort, spend the least amount of time procrastinating, and ensure that the writing is good and you are making progress.
For me, having a writing process that was efficient and stood the test of time meant that I would keep at it for longer without burnout or frustration.
When I started writing about a decade ago, I wrote short stories for an online literary magazine. The word count was just 1200 words. A prompt was provided every month and the story had to be submitted within 20 days.
Although it took some years to develop an effective writing process, writing every day as efficiently as possible proved invaluable in finishing the writing projects that I started.
I’m here to throw some light on how to quickly boost your writing, what an effective writing process looks like, and what its benefits are.
I invite you to try some of these tips to help you finish your next book or blog.
Five ways to boost your writing
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1. Become Efficient:
Efficiency doesn’t happen overnight. It comes with slow and diligent practice.
There are no shortcuts unless you’re a genius, to begin with. Even then, I think, some good practices go a long way.
Learn and then utilize the learning in your writing. That’s one of the most efficient ways to up your writing game.
Ever wondered what to do if you’re stuck at a scene?
Keep writing and practice what you learn as you write. It enhances your writing as well as makes you improve over time.
Don’t overthink it. You can edit whatever you write in the next round.
Remember: “You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”
2. Improve Speed:
Improved speed comes with practice.
When you write daily you build your writing muscle to produce work quickly and with the least amount of effort.
Early on in my writing career, I would spend hours agonising over sentence formations, dialogues, and scenes.
But as I spent more time writing, those worries and anxieties about whether I was getting my writing done right disappeared.
In place of slow and awkward writing, I developed better speed and was able to trust myself to write more in less time.
My writing improved as time went by.
3. Get On The Path of Least Resistance:
This follows the above two steps of speed and efficiency. When you have written enough that you are confident of your abilities, you reduce decision fatigue.
If your writing process has a routine then you will go to your desk at the stipulated time and just write.
It’s better to be done with your writing quota first thing in the morning as it reduces your decision fatigue about what to write, when to write, where to write, and other concerns that become harder to tackle later on in the day.
Making writing a part of your normal routine avoids energy leaks and drained will power, and keeps you feeling productive every single day.
4. Go For Completion:
When you use a writing process daily, you also complete projects rather than dilly-dally over them.
A sense of completion offers relief as well as the confidence to do it again and again.
Learn to finish what you start.
Remember, done is better than perfect. Try to complete your project instead of dragging it on.
5. Get Things Moving:
After finishing your project, get it edited and then submit it for publishing. Don’t let a book or project stagnate for long.
By keeping the wheels of the writing process churning smoothly, you’ll feel more enthusiastic and energized to start the next project.
Author Lawrence Block said, “If I hadn’t been submitting things, if I hadn’t been trying to get into print, I’m not sure I’d have kept writing. I suppose the whole process helped me to take myself and my ambitions seriously.”
To sum up, ineffective practices lead to struggles in writing and completing writing projects.
Write daily, consistently, at the same time and place, if possible, so that you reach your flow state quickly.
The words flow more easily and before you know it, you reach the quota for the day and you’re done.
Work your learnings into your writing as you go along, and don’t stop until you finish.
Remember, writing just 1 page a day amounts to 365 pages a year.
That’s quite an achievement when you’re consistent and practical.
Hope these 5 tips help you in boosting your writing and ensure that your process is effective and working for you.
If you’d like to reach out to me, you can find me at sudha@sudhanair.com
Book Resources for you:
Ralph Keyes talks of the inner and outer struggles, fears, and anxieties of writers, and how to capitalize on them.
The Courage To Write BUY FROM AMAZON.IN | AMAZON.COM
James Scott Bell brings you a book with great tips on the right attitude and practices that will help in producing better outputs.
The Mental Game Of Writing BUY FROM AMAZON.IN | AMAZON.COM
Malcolm Gladwell’s thought-provoking book will change the way you think about your life story and what makes us all unique. It’s here that he puts forth the 10,000-Hour Rule that is required for success. Check it out.
Outliers BUY FROM AMAZON.IN | AMAZON.COM
