Write, Write, Write

If you spent anytime reading blogs on writing (and I’m guessing if you’ve found my blog you probably have) then you’ve seen some version of this.

“The only way to become a better writer is to write!”

or

“Stop wasting your time worrying about that. Just write. In fact stop reading this and go write!”

Now, if you think I would argue with that advice you’d be wrong, but what I am going to do is address the inherent paradox of these statements. Namely if I hadn’t been reading your blog, article, whatever, then I would not have be forced to acknowledge that fact. In simpler terms, if a writer doesn’t seek to learn from those before they can spend a lot of time making the same mistakes.

Well then that does create a problem doesn’t it? Spending a few hours of your week or day reading advice on writing can be great way to improve as a writer, but if you’re supposed to be writing every second of the day how can you do that? And honestly, as someone whose writing and story telling abilities suffer significantly when having to reach large daily word counts (looking at you Nanowrimo), I have always found that frustrating advise.

So, here’s my thoughts on the issue. Just a priority list on how writer’s can best be spending their time (beyond basic necessities like job and general life maintenance, basically ones free time).

1. Writing obviously. No matter if you’re just starting out or you’ve got multiple books published, you should try and write an hour or two at least every weeknight, more if you the kind of writer that can. If you need to give yourself a night or two off every week.*

2. Not writing aka living: I’m serious. Go outside. Go to a movie. Read a book. Knit a sweater. Go to a party. DON’T think about writing. You can’t write about life if you never live it. Besides doing these things will help refresh your creative energy. (In other words why I am unable to produce something vaguely resembling a story during Nanowrimo).

3. Read advice about writing: When I say writing I DON’T mean publishing. Read about how to make engaging characters, how to use dialogue tags, how to plot a book. No more then a few hours a week should do it.

4. Read advice/research publishing: NOTE only if you have at least one finished manuscript, otherwise don’t bother. Sure some familiarity with the publishing industry will be useful, but this should only be taking up a large portion of time if you got something to publish. However if you are ready or thinking about publishing your finished manuscript then this is a must!

5. Writing Groups: Whether online or in person a writing group can be an incredible helpful addition to a writers toolbox. However a problem remains, not so much with the face to face groups, but with the online groups. It can be easy to trick yourself into thinking you making writing relating progress because you’re spending time there. No matter how much fun the daily prompt may be, writing it is not actually going to get your manuscript done. With that in mind limit it to a handful of hours a week.

6. Prompts: If you’re looking for a new story, then have at! Otherwise, unless you can link them back to your current manuscript, limit it to a couple a week. Again you can trick yourself into thinking you’ve done your writing for the day.

Now I realize every writer is different and if you can spend four hours a day on your writing group forum and still finish your manuscript congrats! Mostly this is meant for people like me, that bring that certain slothful vice into even their hobbies. There is a reason, after all, I don’t update this blog too often. I don’t need another excuse not to work on my manuscript.

*I do realize some writers write in large burst (I can be that way sometimes). That’s fine, however developing an ability to write consistently in smaller scales never hurt.

** I’m not saying that you need to be doing all of these things, only that they can be helpful activities towards completing a manuscript if done in moderation.