If you write in a professional capacity, either part time or full time, you could probably benefit from increasing your productivity. There are many talented writers in the world, and that’s okay. In fact, it’s wonderful because it makes reading a lot more interesting. It also means that becoming a novelist or a copywriter or freelance writer places you in a competitive environment. Becoming more prolific in your writing just might be the key factor that will give you an edge over other writers in your chosen industry.
Telling a writer, especially an inexperienced writer, to be prolific is like telling a novice music composer to start producing masterful concertos, movements or chamber music pieces overnight. Writing and music both require a tremendous amount of practice in order to develop and refine the skill. Yes, as a writer, you always want to become better, but the way to do that is often to become more productive – to write more – to be prolific. There are three helpful habits to keep in mind to kickstart productivity.
Implement these writing practices to become more prolific
It’s logical to assume that the more exposure your writing gains, the greater ability you have to earn income through writing because more exposure means more potential readers, which, particularly if you’re an author, can quickly translate to income. The following list includes three specific habits that can help you become a more prolific writer:
- Challenge yourself by setting a timer for word counts.
- Constantly nurture your creative mind by exposing yourself to new things.
- Avoid waiting for an idea to perfect itself when you sit down to write.
Implementing any one of these practices can help increase writing productivity. If you develop all three habits, you’ll surely see a substantial increase in the amount of work you produce.
You’ll learn to write more in a shorter amount of time
Writers often block out a certain amount of time to work. Just as people who are trying to lose weight often benefit from using a smaller-sized dinner plate, you can benefit (when your goal is to be more prolific as a writer) by reducing the amount of time you allot per a specific word count. With a diet, people tend to fill their plates and eat whatever is on the plate. Hence, by using a smaller plate, they automatically serve themselves a smaller portion of food and, thereby, eat less.
With writing, if you allot two hours to write 1,500 words, that’s how long it’s likely going to take you to complete the project. Think of the timer like the size of the dinner plate. Allowing yourself less time to produce the same number of words is like using a smaller dinner plate to restrict portion size, except, in this case, it helps you produce more, not less. In short, you’ll become accustomed to writing more words in less time.
New people, places, things and experiences spark creativity
The second habit mentioned in the list helps to keep the creative juices flowing, which spurs more writing ideas and helps you become more prolific. While you might think that this habit is only useful to fiction writers, that is not so.
Even if you’re a copywriter who serves the same clients on a regular basis, writing about the same main topics, you benefit from finding new ways to say similar things, over and over again. Exposing yourself to new people, places and things delights the senses. It also carries over into creative thinking when you sit down to write.
Don’t wait too long to start writing
You can’t edit a blank page. It’s natural to want to take some time to collect your thoughts and “get in your zone” when you’re about to start writing. This can backfire, however, especially if you’re suffering from writers’ block. You’ll wind up sitting there and doing nothing, when you could be typing or putting words down on paper.
A key to becoming a prolific writer is to write a lot and to write often. You can (and should) always go back to edit and revise. Whether the project you’re working on is for publication or just to practice writing, you can’t finish if you never start. When “more productivity” is the goal, try to develop a habit of getting started almost as soon as you open your laptop or pick up the pen. It’s okay if the first few drafts are not up to par. That’s the purpose for revisions.
Increasing productivity is a worthy goal for novice writers as well as those who are more experienced. These three habits can help you accomplish your goals.
