15 Productivity Tips to Improve Your Writing Process
Everyone has been trained how to write in school and if you do pursue this career, you can understand the importance of becoming a productive writer. If you don't write, you don't earn. So whether you're a student or a professional writer, here are some tips to help you improve your writing process.
It's important to have something to celebrate. Any writer knows that, sometimes, the hardest thing about writing is sitting down at the desk and getting to work. Other times, however, it's not getting to work that's difficult, but how effective you are at using the time you have. If you want to boost the productivity of your writing sessions, follow these tips. 1. Schedule your day
It's no wonder that this is such a popular productivity tip. Scheduling your day is a simple yet effective technique for improving your writing productivity. You can schedule your day by tasks or blocks of time. The idea is to schedule it out in a way that works for you.
Instead of starting off the day in a daze, unsure of what you need to do and when you need to do it, schedule your day. This will help you get a clearer sense of what your tasks are for that day, and how writing fits into the mix. 2. Plan your writing sessions
Once you've scheduled out your day and separated some time to write, plan out your writing session. Depending on the kind of writer you are, you might have a variety of tasks. Maybe you need to write an article for your blog and another for a client.
Make a list of all the writing assignments you have to work on and plan your writing session around them. Just like your daily schedule, you can plan your session out by priority or even by the deadline. Once you have your plan, get to writing.3. Focus on one task at a time
Multitasking seems like a great idea until you realize that it's actually an unproductive way to work. The constant switching between tasks hurts your concentration and can even hurt the work you put into making your writing session more productive.
Instead of working on multiple writing projects at a time, try dedicating your time and energy to a single project at a time. When you get the urge to switch to a different task, try taking a five-minute break. Slowly, it will get easier to control the urge to multitask. 4. Time your writing sessions
This time-management technique can work wonderfully for writers. Beyond increasing your productivity, timing your writing sessions is also a great way to ward off the desire to multitask.
To start, choose how long your writing session will last. Many writers opt for the Pomodoro technique and have 25-minute sessions. If you have multiple projects to work on, you can also try batching your timed sessions together. 5. Use a focus-friendly writing tool
What if you've followed all the previous tips and still have a tough time boosting your writing productivity? The issue might be the writing tools you're using to write and edit your projects.
Many of the writing software available has outstanding features that make writing and editing written works a breeze. Unfortunately, these same features might become distracting to the struggling writer. Try using a writing tool that allows you to customize its look and feel, such as FocusWriter or Evernote.6. Develop a writing routine
Developing a writing routine goes beyond scheduling your day and planning your sessions. It requires you to put in the work to make writing a habit.
It means making a commitment to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) every day, without fail. Do this for long enough and writing will become second nature, making it easier to boost your writing productivity. 7. Set realistic goals
Writers have varying opinions on what your writing goals should look like. Some argue word count, others vote for time spent writing. In reality, whatever works for you is the right choice. As long as the goal is realistic.
Goals only work as motivation when you achieve them. Otherwise, looking at the unchecked check-box can drag you down. Instead of jumping straight into a 50,000 word a day goal, try something much more manageable. It should be challenging enough to motivate you, and realistic enough to be achievable.8. Modify your writing space
Sometimes, the perfect way to boost your writing productivity is external. You may be in the right mind frame, but if your environment doesn't inspire productivity, it'll be hard to get any work done.
Consider your writing needs. If your space is too noisy, invest in noise-canceling headphones. You can check out this article from JUSTCreative.com to see which headphones will best suit you.
If it's too quiet, find some environmental sounds that you enjoy listening to. The idea is to adjust your writing environment to inspire you to be a more productive writer. 9. Let go of your inner editor
Nobody can criticize a writer the way they criticize themselves. Unfortunately, for many writers, this inner criticism can hinder the productivity of writing sessions.
If you find yourself editing and fixing your written works as you write them, try separating the two. Let go of your inner editor by reminding yourself that there will be time for editing your work later on. Now is the time to write. 10. Set deadlines for yourself
Setting daily goals is a great way to motivate yourself into writing. Setting deadlines for yourself, however, is a great way to increase your productivity by holding yourself accountable.
Even if you're working on a personal project, divide the project into milestones and set deadlines for each of them. The goal is not to force yourself to write bad quality content but to add a healthy dose to pressure that keeps you writing.11. Develop a strategy to start your writing session
Unfortunately, not all of us have the fuel to start writing as soon as we get up from the bed. There are times that you feel too lazy to start working on your article. That's why you need to make a strategy to convince yourself to start writing.
A starting ritual will get your thoughts straight. It helps you focus and keep in mind that you are in writing mode. This can also avoid procrastination.
Start your session by placing all your necessary things in the office. Make some tea and sit on your thinking chair. Make your ritual a habit so your mind will get used to it.12. Make an outline
Sometimes, it's hard to start your article without seeing the whole picture. Things can go astray and lose your whole thought process as a result. To avoid these, make a detailed outline.
A sentence outline is the same as any other outline, except everything is in a sentence structure. This makes the bigger picture clearer so you can be guided in what you are writing.
You can also do some brainstorming and make a mind map out of it. You can easily organize your thoughts and be more productive in doing so.13. Follow a paragraph structure
The most general, yet most effective, paragraph structure is the hamburger paragraph structure. It follows the golden rule of paragraph structures -- stick to one idea per paragraph.
Following a paragraph structure, like the hamburger structure, will boost writing productivity.
You start with the context of your idea and fill it up with the content. Everything that's important in the burger lies in the content of your paragraph. Make sure that it's enough to elaborate your idea and end it up with a conclusion.
Following this structure makes your paragraphs easy to read. The structure also makes it easier for you to write your paragraphs. Improve your writing process by using paragraph structures in your projects.14. Track your milestones
Give yourself a little pat in the back or a well-deserved break time after achieving a certain milestone. Let's say you reached a thousand words on your writing project, you can reward yourself to keep you motivated.
Tracking your achievements can also prove useful to develop a productive habit. You can manage your productivity through milestones and achievements.15. Ask for feedback from your peers
To know the quality of your work, you have to look at them from a different perspective. That's why it is highly recommended to ask your peers for feedback. This eliminates bias over your work.
Asking for feedback saves a lot of time than reviewing your own work. It can save you days of agony figuring out where you went wrong. Review your article based on the feedback you received and become a more flexible writer.Become your most productive self
Writers work hard to make sure they create top-notch written works. Some take more time than others, but all can boost the productivity of their writing sessions. Hopefully, these tips will empower you to become your most productive self and write the work that only you can.
Now all that's left to do is pick up your pen and start drafting your thoughts. Improve your whole writing process and give yourself some rest when you need it.
Writing is an art and can be developed by practice. Keep on writing and you will be able to improve your skills. Writing brings clarity and we need to have routines that give us the chance to write about the subject we are interested in. As the author rightly said, we should have realistic writing goals and those should be completed as per our choice. This requires consistency in the writing process.