I've had a huge response to the article "Top Five Secrets To Writing More, and Selling More of Your Writing" on Writing Hacker (the article was first published in Fab Freelance Writing Ezine).
Secret #4, Remember The Magical Number Seven, Plus Or Minus Two - don’t “write” in your head got the most attention. :-)
So let's go into that secret in a little more depth. Why should you think on paper?
Writing is thinking - think on paper or on your computer screen
Many writers try to write whatever they're working on straight through. In other words, if you're writing an article, you write the title, and then plough through the article.
Invariably this leads to unpleasantness. Either the piece doesn't work - your logic was faulty, so you end up repeating yourself, or leaving out vital information, or whatever. Or you stall: you can't think of a title, the introduction seems boring, you realize you need more research...
There are a million things which can go wrong when you try to write anything in sessions where your first draft is your only draft. It puts too much pressure on you, and on your working memory.
Writing a piece straight through can succeed - but usually it doesn't, because of the Magical Number 7: there's a limit to how much information you can keep in your working memory.
FWIW, here's how I write. It's a process that's taken me 30 years to develop. I too used to spend a lot of time thinking in my head before I wrote - procrastinating, in other words: trying to write cold, straight through a piece, then getting depressed and confused when the piece didn't work.
So here's how I write:
1. I set a goal for the piece
What do I want to achieve with it? Setting a goal is vital. Often you'll have the goal handed to you, when a buyer gives you a brief. He wants a series of articles on a topic, or a buyer wants a Web sales page, or an ebook.
If you're not handed a brief, you need to WRITE THE BRIEF yourself. The brief (a goal and a description of what you're writing) is your road map.
2. I pre write - usually with free writing, or a mind map
The pre writing stage is just to trawl my memory for what I already know on the topic.
3. A zero draft
The "zero" draft is the draft before the first draft. I just take the mind map or free writing and turn it into a rough (very rough) draft.
4. Research - always necessary
Research is always necessary, but it's also a time sink. WRITE down questions which must be answered with the research (remember the Magical Number 7, and don't try to keep it in your head.)
Set a time limit on your research, and stop researching when you've answered your questions.
5. First draft
At this stage, the article, brochure, Web sales page or whatever will have all the essentials in place, but it's rough. I haven't paid any attention to word choice; the writing is a logical exercise only - I want the final piece to make sense. :-)
6. Additional drafts as required until it's done
I tend to write at least another couple of drafts, improving transitions, flow, and deleting material.
You'll notice that all the above is thinking on paper/ on the computer screen. There's no procrastination. If I'm thinking about writing, I'm actually writing, not trying to shuffle a meagre five to nine items of information in my head.
If you're not as productive as you want to be, feel free to try my process. You may get a shock at how productive you can be, when you have a method.
Write more - the key to your writing success
Yes, you can write more - even if you're a world-class procrastinator.
Did you know that when you write more, your writing improves? Many of my writing students experience this. They find that when they write more, writing is easier for them - they're not dominated by their inner editor.
My new writing class, "Write More And Make More Money From Your Writing: Develop A Fast, Fun Productive Writing Process" is based on lessons I developed for my private coaching students to help them to write more, improve their writing, and make more money writing.
If you're struggling with your writing, the class will help. The techniques you'll learn in class with help you write fiction, nonfiction, and copy for business.
Discover how you can write more, improve your writing, and sell more of your writing to higher-paying markets.
Technorati Tags: be more productive