5 Rules for Writing Faster!
Just don’t complain that you haven’t written.
One of the issues people bring to me after asking how I have so much time to write, is about them not having a lot of time to write, and with what little time they do have, they don’t think they can get anything substantial out. That is one in a long line of excuses people use when they tell you they’ve barely written anything.
I have the same amount of time anyone else has. Currently single, without children, and after graduating university, I’m on the hunt for a job, don’t get me wrong, writing pays a few bills for me, but realistically, I can’t and about 90-95% of writers can’t live off their writing alone. (That percentage is probably smaller, there are millions of would-be authors and writers out there.) Write your future! The faster you write, the quicker that future will arrive!Click To Tweet
I’ve compiled a list of a few rules that you can use in order to write faster, say you want to get 500 words out in the next half an hour, I’ll share with you just how to achieve that! There are no shortcuts when it comes to writing faster. These are set in stone rules, they’re things to be mindful of. When writing the average word per minute (WPM) count is 43, but I think you can write more.
1 Have an Outline!
I mentioned this in a previous post, and it’s essential lifeblood of a getting a first draft out quickly. Those who do write by the seat of their pants, pantsers, are often those who will have to go back several times, reworking and drafting their novel, but having an outline allows you to see your book as whole before putting the content down on the page.
2 Don’t Look at Your Screen!
Do not look at your screen when you’re writing. I feel like this goes against a lot of what you’re told at school, or what people have told/taught you in the past, but when you look at your screen, you’re going to notice errors as you write, and maybe even typos. Ignore those for now! Keep your eyes on your fingers, or turn the screen of your computer off (you’d be very brave to do that).
Another option, if you just cannot help looking at your screen is to use a light grey font. The colour will blend with the background, and although you might not see the words on the screen (a plus), you will see the word count go up on the bar.
You can also turn the word count counter off, that way you’re not constantly looking at it or obsessing!
3 Mute the Music!
I love, and I know a lot of writers love to listen to music when they’re writing, but truth be told, the music you’re listening to is actually affecting the amount of words you’re able to write. I like to write listening to music because it blocks out the sound of the environment.
Music is a distractor. I sing, I sway… I’m not to be trusted. So when I am writing with a word count goal in mind, I will do that without any music at all. It works in the same way as occupying your mind space, the less clutter going in, the more productivity coming out.
4 Spellcheck Be Gone!
There’s nothing worse than that red squiggly line beneath a misspelt word, it stops you in your tracks and all productivity goes down the drain. Turning spellcheck off is a godsend, it means that you’re able to write distraction free, and that’s the best kind of writing!
Spellcheck will be in the setting, and can be manually turned off, and then back on when you need it. But don’t edit once you’ve written, editing before or whilst writing can and often will stifle your creativity, creating a block where you feel that you can’t write anymore because you’ve seen the errors! Remember, only you can see them, people will see what you show them, you can draft and edit before that stage.
5 Feel the Flow!
Are you a two-finger typist or with both your hands? Either way, you need to up your game if you want to write faster. You probably have a go-to stance for your hands, positioning them before going to battle with your keyboard. I know, feel the flow, might not be the most inspiring thing you’ve heard all day, but once your fingers are in place and you’re raring to go, the words will come. Mixed with not listening to music or wiggling around, the only way you’ll be able to express yourself is through the sound of tapping on your keyboard! Write like the wind, Bullseye! Say NO to 43 wpm!Click To Tweet
Leave a comment if you use these or if you have any new rules!
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