9 Ways to Increase Productivity as a Writer

If you know me at all, I'm always looking for ways to be more productive. When I have down time at work, I'm running through my list of things to do in my head, and determining the most efficient way to get them done. And I love lists! Here are some of the things I do to stay on target and up to par. Do I stick to them like a religion? No. I'm always trying new things, but I do hope to one day become a creature of habit. A lean, mean to-do list knocking out machine! So without much further ado, here are my top nine ways to increase productivity and stay productive!

1. Have a Plan

In general, having a mode of attack is a good idea. Have a plan. Be organized and take notes. It is so important to know what you're doing before you start doing it. I get it. Sometimes it's nice to just get in the car and drive wherever the road takes you, but nine times out of ten, you've got a destination in mind or a route planned.

A lot of us are pantsers, and if you're like me, you're in between a pantser and a plotter. But when I sit down to write, I always have an idea in mind as to what I'm going to write about. This makes my writing so much easier, and less painful. On days when I have no plan, and I just sit in front of the computer, staring at an empty space (or an empty MS Word document) it's very heartbreaking.

It's discouraging. It's depressing. I think that's part of what gets a lot of writers down. I've read that the key to being prolific, and producing more in a smaller amount of time, is that you're going to need to have some idea—some game plan—laid out. I'm still working on the prolific part myself, don't worry! We'll get there one day.

You don't have to know all the details, but having a plan definitely helps.

2. Take Breaks

This may sound counterproductive, but it's true. Take breaks. Sitting for eight hours in front of a computer without any breaks is like suicide. It can put a strain on your eyes (think of the amount of time the average human being spends looking at a screen every day), and it's not ergonomically smart. Use the bathroom, get a snack, get fresh air, stretch... do anything, just don't start playing a video game because then a ten minute break will turn into the rest of the day, and you won't get any work done.

3. Write by Timer

Simple. Set a timer. This really works for me. There are many different ways in which you can implement this one.

There's a program called Write or Die where you set a timer and a punishment. Yes, you read that correctly. The punishment may be an annoying sound, or your words may get deleted if you stop writing. It's actually pretty cool. I highly recommend Write or Die (now known as Write or Die 2). It's free, and you can also use "reward" mode or "stimulus" mode now, instead of setting punishments. There is a desktop version available for $20.

There are also sites like Write Monkey or Written? Kitten!

Written? Kitten! will show you a picture of a kitten when you reach your word goal, and Write Monkey takes away all distractions so all you have is a screen to write on.

Lastly, there's the Pomodoro method. This is one of my personal favorites. It's called "Pomodoro" because the man who came up with this method had a kitchen timer that was in the shape of a tomato, and Pomodoro means "tomato" in Italian. The man would set the timer for 20 minutes and do whatever he had to do. Then you can set the timer for ten minutes and take a break. Once the buzzer goes off again, you know it's time to get back to work for another 15 or 20 minutes. This is especially useful if you're participating in the NaNo Word Sprints during November, April, or July. It's a great way to boost your word count during the write-a-thons.

I also suggest working in 15-20 minute chunks as opposed to setting a whole hour aside. Top time management coaches often talk about splitting your day into 15 minute increments. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.

4. Get Some Sleep

It's very important if you want to be in your best mental and creative state, to get a good night's sleep. Don't deprive yourself of your health just to get your book done. Yes, there will be sacrifices. You may have to give up a social life, but don't sacrifice your health.

Ever tried to be productive when you're exhausted? It's not fun, is it? Missing sleep could also put you at risk for getting sick, which could further hinder productivity.

5. Exercise

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. If I'm exercising, I can't be writing/working. How is that productive? But it's true. Exercise is a form of meditation. It can help clear your mind, and get all of that excess and mental clutter out of the way. Have you ever worked out, and found that an issue you were thinking about all day long suddenly became clear—a problem suddenly had a solution and everything seemed easy? That's what exercise and meditation does. I highly recommend it.

6. Get Rid of Distractions

Don't set yourself up for failure by creating a workspace that has a ton of distractions. Set yourself up for success by limiting the things that can take up your time when you're supposed to be writing. Point in fact, this is why I became a minimalist. I was spending valuable writing time cleaning and organizing. When I simply owned less stuff, I had more time and less distractions. Win.

7. Tell Other People

If you're anything like me, you hate talking about your writing. I don't like talking about whether I think it's good or not. I don't know why. I love my writing. I love my stories and characters, but I hate talking about it. My partner and I have had heated discussions, and yes, even fights over my writing. However, he holds me highly accountable, and promises me things like trips to London...

Also, sharing on social media that I'm writing a novel, or editing a novel, or writing a short story creates accountability. Depending on how many friends or followers you have, that many people are going to hold you accountable.

8. Get Up Early

I know, I know. I just told you to exercise, and now I'm telling you to wake up earlier... after I told you to get sleep, which means going to bed sooner. Did I mention that writing requires sacrifice? I'm not a morning person either. But I will say that lately I have found myself waking up earlier and earlier, inspired to get to work and be productive.

They say that there is a huge difference in the mental states of a rich person and a poor person. Wealthy and successful people wake up three hours before work starts. Oh my goodness! Right now I'm working from six AM to 2:30 PM, so I'm already having trouble rolling out of bed early. Waking up at three in the morning just seems ludicrous.

I'm so used to waking up early during the week that my weekends tend to start no later than six AM, and that makes for at least two productive days if I slipped up during the week.

Find little bits of time in the morning when the rest of the world is sleeping to be productive—without interruption.

9. Don't Multitask!

I have so many writing ideas. I don't mean to brag. Some writers struggle with where to find ideas, but I have so many that I want to write about—so many that I'm in love with. The problem? I tried to divide my energy and focus across all of the projects, which slows me down.

You want to set one specific goal and stick to it. Put all of your energy and focus on that goal, because when your energy is divided and scattered, you're not on top of your game. So if you're trying to work on five books, or three books and a short story and a novella... STOP. At times, it's preferable when you get tired of one project, to have the option of spending some time with another one. This I can stand behind, but please save yourself the struggle, and don't bite off more than you can chew.

Having five + projects going on at one time can be a huge mistake. It doesn't work for me at all because I lose sight of focus, storyline, theme, and character motivation. Everything becomes jumbled, and it makes the editing process more grueling. Food for thought!