Sharing #StoryEmpire Post from Joan Hall

/ Marcia

Joan’s post today on Story Empire was especially interesting to me, as it deals with Writing Sprints. What a great idea for pushing yourself to get moving with a stalled (or very slow) WIP. Check it out, and you’ll see what I mean. And then, I do hope you’ll share the post with others. It seems a LOT of us could make use of her suggestions these days. Thanks, and thanks to Joan for sharing her tips.

Getting it Done with Writing Sprints

 

16 thoughts on “Sharing #StoryEmpire Post from Joan Hall”

  2. Nope. Sorry, can’t do it.
    I know the advice if you want to write faster is to write ‘dirty’ and not worry about quality, but that offends my creativity. Even knowing I will never be the fastest writer, I’m not going to stop editing as I go – my manuscripts need little editing when I’m finished, which I count as a big time-saving plus.
    I’ve learned I CAN write fast provided I know where I’m going. As a pantser it’s been tough to learn the necessity for (some limited) plotting, but that’s definitely what makes the difference for me. And discovering I can write in short bursts or 25 minutes, which I can squeeze in here and there, rather than trying to find a big, dedicated chunk of time.
    Also, being stuck inside with lockdown, 4″ of snow on the ground, and temperatures down to -15 has all helped too!

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    • As a fellow pantser and a compulsive “edit as you go” writer, too, I can’t do it to the fullest extent, either, Debby. I’m with you on that, for sure. My thoughts are to adapt a few of Joan’s suggestions that will work for me. Like using a timer and writing uninterrupted for 30 minutes or so, ignoring incoming emails, etc. (Something always hard for me to do.)

      But trust me, I will ALWAYS back up and change words here and there, and edit a bit as I go. Yeah, I still have to do a final revision/cleanup/edit at the end, but just like you, I can’t possibly ignore something I already know is wrong as soon as I type it. I have to retype it until it looks or sounds better to me, and that’s not going to change.

      My take-away from her post was that for me, personally, there were still some things I could do to get more productivity out of my writing time. I’ve already got the timer here, so that I can shut out everything else and write for 30 minutes at least, without stopping (except for some edits, of course). 😀 I can manage something like that, and I think it will help me be more consistent with finding the time (instead of the excuses) to get some writing done every day. And if I don’t have a name figured out yet, or something similar, I can leave “XXX” in that spot for later, too. That doesn’t bother me. Mistakes or poor wording is what I can’t ignore. Methinks we are a lot alike in that regard. 🙂

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      • Yep, we are amazingly alike in so many ways.
        Do you remember a few years ago I shared a post on here about the Pomodoro Technique? It’s a well established technique for time management, setting the timer for 25 minutes, which is about the limit of human concentration (20 minutes, if I recall correctly) without needing a moment’s break. It revolutionised my ability to write even with life going on in the background.
        I’m sure you’ll find it’ll help you get back to productivity.

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        • I definitely remember that post, Debby, and in fact, that’s when I acquired a timer. I just haven’t been good about using it, but I swear, that’s going to change. I’ve been having trouble focusing (in general) since my concussion, and I think the timer is going to be what I need to channel my energy to the right tasks at the right time. Knowing I’m not going to stop until I hear that “ding” will help me, I feel sure. And thanks for reminding me that YOU were the one to introduce me to that technique. I will keep you posted as to how I do with it, now that I’m set up to go. 😀 Thanks so much for taking the time to comment today, my friend! It’s always great to see you here! 🙂

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    • It was my pleasure to pass it along, Gwen. It re-inspired me to get out that timer and work on the Pomodoro Technique Debby mentioned above. I can adapt several of Joan’s strategies to the way I write, I’m sure. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, too! 🙂

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  4. Some interesting suggestions here. I admit to being a pantster with a ‘fluid’ plot line and I always re-read the previous day’s work and edit it – it’s a compulsion. If the writing’s going well and I hit a minor snag I’ll bung in a row of XXXXXXs and come back to it when I’m less fired up. It’s always fascinating to see what’s out there that may be just what you need to get over a writing issue. I find these ideas really useful and I do store them away as first-aid possibilities.

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    • I can identify with that, Jan. I’m so far behind (AGAIN!) that I don’t know if I’ll ever catch up. Glad to share Joan’s post with you though. I tried my modified version of her ideas, using a timer and refusing to be interrupted for anything. I got more written in 30 minutes than I had in two weeks! Woohoo! I foresee this being very helpful to me. Hope you find some good tips, too. And thanks for stopping by today. 🙂

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