Be an Efficient (and Consistent) Writer
- Andrew Donovan [@ap_donovan]
- Sep 6, 2015
- 3 min read
When I began my European backpacking adventures in hopes of becoming an efficient and inspired freelance writer, I had high hopes. I had hopes that I'd have all the time in the world and that simply being in Europe would be enough inspiration in and of itself to churn out linguistic brilliance to the likes of Wilde and Tolkien and Rowling.
I was wrong. Sort of.
Europe, with her rich history and character and natural brilliance, is exactly the inspiration any writer – new or seasoned – needs to add a pep into his alphabetic step. But quitting your job and living an uber-minimalist life out of a backpack doesn’t magically give you time.
Between sightseeing and train rides and cooking and finding cheap flights (what a hard life, I know), you’d be surprised how little time you have to acutally write. In fact, I defy you to walk for 12-hours around London, Rome, Belfast or Dublin and have the energy or desire to write at the end of the day.
The fact of the matter is this: Life doesn’t make time for writing, YOU make time for writing.
Which brings us to the topic of today’s blog!
Whether you’re soaking in the sights and sounds of a world over or simply trying to start a hobby blog after work in the evening, there’s definitely ways to bring efficiency to the arduous task of writing consistently. And here, I tried my best to give you four relatively simple ways to help you write more often.
1. Schedule SPECIFIC writing times
Life is a roll of the dice on the best of days. So many unexpected things can happen between the time you wake and the time you sleep. But if you schedule specific times for your writing, you can take some of the chance out of whether or not you’ll find time to pound your meaty fingers tirelessly on your keyboard every day.
Personally, I prefer writing either first thing in the morning (mostly on weekends) or right after work/school/gym/travel day. I find that those are the times of day I have the most energy and the least amount of distractions.
2. Have a writing space
Having a space dedicated to writing is high on the list of importance to me. Sometimes, whilst on the road, I find a quiet place in a hostel or I seek out a tiny local café with WiFi, put in my headphones and write ‘til the carpal tunnel flares up.
Writing consistently in the same place or atmosphere programmes your brain to get used to producing brilliance in those spaces. Or not. I don’t actually know that to be true. It could be total bullshit. But it seems to work for me.
3. Carry a notebook EVERYWHERE
I have a pocket-sized notebook that always stays in my jean pocket, my jacket pocket or my backpack. I never leave home without my notebook.
Why?
Because I’m obsessive compulsive. But I also find that brilliance doesn’t strike right when you sit down to write. Sometimes you need prompts. And for me, I find my prompts happen when writing is not on my mind. When that happens, I scribble some chicken-scratch into my notebook and save it for later.
4. Use weekends wisely
If you have a blog schedule (say Mon-Wed-Fri), you may not always have time on those days to write. Life happens.
But if you find time on weekends or are stricken with inspiration amindst your insomnia, then write dammit. Sometimes, on a rainy Sunday afternoon, I find time and enough of a caffeine-buzz to pound out two or three blogs. Then, on days I publish, I do a quick edit and post the sucker.
Ultimately, friends, writing needs to be something you enjoy. Writing under stressful situations, while a boost for some people, more frequently produces the dog shit you see in newspapers, online publications and blogs nowadays; the by-product of people writing just for the sake of mass-producing "clickable" content.
Taking the aforementioned four suggestions into consideration in your life as a writer will prevent you from producing said proverbial dog shit and it will also keep the art of writing (because that’s what writing OUGHT TO BE!) fun.
Happy Scribbling.
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