THE BUSINESS OF WRITING
editing. When I need to focus,
I usually sit on the sofa with my
headphones on. I have playlists
for characters, projects, and
emotions, so I put on the most
appropriate playlist for what
I have to work on that day.
If I can’t concentrate, I watch
music videos for a bit. If I’m
struggling to focus, I don’t force
myself – I take a break then
come back to it. The break will
usually involve taking the dog
for a walk or getting a change of
scenery for a bit.’
Morgen agrees. ‘Be focused.
It’s easy to let “life” take
over – from a friend calling
unannounced to a five-minute
job that takes half the day.
Treble the time you expect
something to take and you
might be lucky to have five
minutes left over. Keep a list of
prompts handy so you always
have something to write about.
Aim to write first thing so you’ll
always have that achievement
even if you get to the end of
the day and wonder where the
hours went. Even writing 150
words a day will get you over
50,000 words a year.’
Snug surroundings
Planning is also about making
yourself comfortable in the right
surroundings. Having a space to
write tells our brains that this is
time for our writing business.
‘Think about your
environment,’ Kristina
recommends. ‘Everything
from the room’s temperature,
how comfortable your chair
is, to lighting can affect your
productivity. It’s rare for us
to think about these kinds of
things when we sit down to
write. It’s worth taking into
account, though, as little
things can add up to make
massive differences.’
Determined delegation
Prioritising our time means
making decisions about it.
What’s more important –
writing the novel, or doing
the ironing? But that doesn’t
always mean choosing to
do one thing instead of
something else. Can somebody
else help out? Whether that’s a
family member (giving chores
to children teaches them
responsibility... apparently),
or whether you can afford to
pay someone to take some
work off you, delegating
work can free up more time
to write. It’s helped with
Morgen’s productivity.
‘I’ve taken on my assistant –
the fabulous Caroline Vincent- last June, initially to do
most of my marketing. She’s
also designed my bookmarks,
co-designed – with the equally
fabulous photographer/designer
Kevin Graham – my ten book
covers, and she’s also my editor,
amongst other skills.’
Delegation isn’t just about
dishing work out to others, but
buying in experts when you
need them. As sole traders, it’s
easy to think that we have to
do everything ourselves. ‘As,
predominantly, a self-published
author, these would be things
I’d need to do myself,’ Morgen
explains, ‘but I’ve learned
over the years that it’s vital to
surround yourself with those
people with skills – and time –
that we might be lacking.’
Savour sleep
In an attempt to create time,
we’re frequently told to write
late into the evening, or to
get up early before the rest
of the household. This infers
cutting back on sleep. Don’t!
Sleep is a vital part of our
day. Every minute of sleep
counts, for that’s one of our
most productive parts of our
day. Not only is our body
recuperating from the previous
day’s activities, but our brain
is processing our thoughts,
experiences and memories. This
is what makes us creative in the
first place. Without sufficient
sleep we cannot be creative.
If you’ve ever wondered
how important sleep is, read
Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep.
In it he says, ‘Aside from being
a stoic sentinel that guardsyour sanity and emotional
well-being, REM sleep and the
act of dreaming have another
distinct benefit: intelligent
information processing that
inspires creativity and promotes
problem solving.’
Therefore, if you do need to
wake up early to write, then go
to bed earlier, and vice versa.
So, book your creatively
productive time slot in your
diary on 29 February. Plan what
you’re going to write during that
session, and prepare in advance.
Delegate other things, if you can,
and make your environment
conducive to writing. And get a
good night’s sleep beforehand.
When it comes to the
business of writing, every
minute counts. But it doesn’t
necessarily mean that we should
be writing for every single
minute of this extra day.http://www.writers-online.co.uk MARCH 2020^811 Cut distractions. Switch
off notifications. Turn off
your wifi. Wear noise-
cancelling headphones or
play music that inspires you.2 Reward yourself. Treat
yourself when you reach
your target word count,
or meet a deadline. Use
social media as a reward,
not a distraction.3 Focus. Clear your writing
space of any other writing
projects. Only have
material to hand that is
related to your current
work in progress.4 Accountability. Tell
a friend about today’s
goals. It’ll help keep
procrastination at bay.5 Take regular breaks.
Get a drink, and have a
stretch. A five-minute break
can rejuvenate a tiring mind.Productivity
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