How Productive Are You with Your Writing?

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With work and life’s distractions, I don’t have a lot of writing time. I admire writers who can create multiple novels a year and stick to a daily writing schedule. I’m a binge writer. I write when I have blocks of time, and I don’t always keep to a set schedule.

But I did an experiment this year to see what was possible, and I had one of my most productive years to date. This year, I completed a cozy mystery, and I have a sloppy draft of my third Delanie Fitzgerald novel. I wrote a dog-themed mystery novella that was published in November in To Fetch a Thief. I wrote a short story, “Art Attack” that will be published next May, and I wrote a nonfiction piece that will be published next year too. And before December, I hope to start on another novella for the Mutt Mysteries collection.

It is possible to increase your writing output. Here’s what I did:

  1. I cut out a lot of TV time.

  2. I edited, proofread, and did rework during times that I normally didn’t write. I would print out chapters and put them in my purse for wait times like in the doctor's office or at the DMV.

  3. I started tracking my word count for the week. This helped me stay on track. It also gave me a visual of what I had accomplished.

  4. I tried to find some writing/editing/blogging time each day. It didn’t always work, but I made the effort.

  5. I was a little more choosy and protective of my writing time. I learned how to say no politely.

  6. I used my critique group to keep a monthly deadline. We submit 50 pages for review each month. I didn’t skip months this year. I had something to review each month.

Best wishes with your writing projects. What else would you add to my list?