| 1. Use an Outline | | | | 4. Leave Blanks and Question Marks |
| We've been over this and over this, but if you | | | | While you're writing, and writing fast, you're going |
| don't use an outline for your writing projects, | | | | to come to a point where you want to insert the |
| you're wasting time. I remember one of my sixth | | | | perfect word or phrase. Do not, I repeat, DO |
| grade research papers. I thought I had done a | | | | NOT give into this feeling. If you're writing by |
| really good job on it, until I read it when I was in | | | | hand, draw a quick blank line and keep moving, or |
| college. In those days, I didn't use an outline. It | | | | write down the first word that comes to mind, |
| was very obvious. Many times thoughts were | | | | but circle it because you know it is NOT the right |
| repeated in different places throughout the | | | | word, but keep going. If you need to check on a |
| manuscript. At that point, I recalled thinking I had | | | | fact, look up a quote, evaluate a calculation, circle |
| already written something about that topic, but I | | | | it, mark it in some way, but keep going. Do not |
| didn't take the time to figure it out. For a sixth | | | | let up your speed until you come to the end of |
| grade paper, it was fine, but I've seen writing | | | | your scheduled writing time. All of these tasks can |
| projects written by adults that were no better. | | | | be accomplished later. By maintaining your head of |
| Once they learned the benefits of using an outline | | | | steam, you will find that you are getting so much |
| their writing improved. | | | | more accomplished than you ever did before. |
| 2. Evaluate Your Most Productive Times of Day | | | | 5. Jail Your Internal Editor |
| When do you get the most done during the day? | | | | Your internal editor is that little voice inside of you |
| I'm a morning person. My husband is a night owl. | | | | who keeps saying, "Who do you think you are |
| If we ever need to collaborate, one of us is | | | | writing a book? That's not a sentence. Passive |
| drinking coffee and yawning. For me, I have | | | | voice, I'm saying, passive voice." Maybe your |
| decided that my personal writing time is the first | | | | internal editor has different phrases than mine, but |
| thing in the morning. My clearest and most | | | | the end result is the same. You lose your |
| creative ideas come to me when dawn is just | | | | momentum and desire to write. You begin to edit |
| barely breaking. I feel tremendously optimistic in | | | | as you go. Before you know it, you've stopped |
| the morning, and that is reflected in my writing. | | | | writing, again. Get rid of that editor, he is doing |
| Most of my other work can be done on auto-pilot. | | | | you no favors. |
| Anyone can do mundane work even when | | | | 6. Practice Speedwriting |
| they're not at their most productive. Save your | | | | Everything we do is done better when we |
| best time for your writing. | | | | practice. I spend 20 minutes every morning |
| 3. Schedule Your Writing Time | | | | speedwriting. By practicing this skill, I can apply it |
| When you figure out when you write most | | | | to my writing projects in the same way, and |
| effectively and most efficiently, schedule it into | | | | some of the time I'm absolutely amazed at how |
| your day. If it isn't scheduled, you'll be tempted to | | | | quickly some of my projects get done. Perfect |
| say, "OK, I guess it doesn't matter if I don't get | | | | practice makes perfect. Do this every day. |
| my writing done today." By the end of the week | | | | 7. Don't Listen to Your Critics |
| you will suddenly realize that you have stopped | | | | As with your internal editor, ignore the people |
| your personal writing altogether. Stop this! You're | | | | who tell you that you probably won't succeed. |
| important. Your writing is important. Put it in your | | | | Unless they're published authors, do not listen to |
| schedule, on your calendar, tell everyone that you | | | | them. Why listen to someone who has never |
| are NOT available for coffee, for homework | | | | been where you're going? |
| assistance, for finding cufflinks or wallets during | | | | Follow these tips and the amount of writing you |
| this time. When you make this a priority, suddenly | | | | get done every day will begin to amaze you. You'll |
| your book project will achieve a position of | | | | see your productivity increase, and you'll see the |
| importance that it didn't have before. | | | | quality of your writing improve. |