Increase your productivity as a writer

Ever wondered how some writers are able to churn out a lot of material in a short span of time? You may think these highly prolific writers spend most of their time writing. Of course, that is what’s expected of them to produce an impressive quantity of authored material. However, that is not always the case, and it may not always be necessary.

Sounds unbelievable? It’s true.

A key to boosting your productivity as a writer is to fully maximize your time allotted for writing. This can be done by writing first the material which you have planned first. This boils down to proper time management. Try making a weekly time table. Note how much time you can set aside for writing without any distraction. Keep in mind that this time should be purely writing time. Researching or reading should not be included. Religiously stick to this time table as much as you can.

It also helps to read as much as you can. Read whatever you can lay your hands on – from books you have already read before, good books, bad books, to those outside of your genre. Even reading product labels can significantly help too! You can be amazed at how much you will learn from reading and how quickly you can start an article or story. So read, read and read.

Always have an idea of what you are going to write before you start doing the task. Writing ideas can pop up anywhere and anytime. It can be while riding in the bus, in the shower, while having dinner or while observing people at the mall. Have a pen and paper handy which you can whip out and scribble these ideas onto so you don’t forget them once you sit down to work on them. Have it with you wherever you go so you can jot down whatever idea you find interesting. These ideas may be used for your future material if they do not happen to fit what you are currently working on. Writer’s block can be avoided if you have already planned out what you will be writing.

Set a realistic deadline and be strict when implementing it. If you are working on an article, set the deadline for the day after finalizing your research. If you are doing a longer material, know your limitations but don’t be too lax so as to allow yourself to procrastinate. Stop making excuses for yourself.

Pressure yourself. You are more likely to create the best work and finish it within the given time limit when you are under pressure, although it is but enough to finish a complete draft. You need to get it done first. Besides, you can always edit and revise it later. Challenge yourself so you will be more pressured and motivated to get your work done.

Avoid shilly-shallies when writing. You don’t want to waste your time or the reader’s time with all those flowery, highfalutin words that can block off what the article is all about. Be clear, concise and direct to the point. See how much time you can save when you do.

And of course, what better way to increase writer productivity than to write more? Write whenever and wherever you can. Silly but true. And it can work for you too.