This is so important! In my habit tracker I give myself a "\" even if all I've done is sat down, opened the file, and stared at it for 15 minutes; I give myself a "/", completing the "X" if I managed 45 minutes or done anything fulsome over the course of the day, whether in one sitting or in several small sittings. "Little by little, a little becomes a lot."
Totally agree with your point here. I find that the one hour a day I write, which can be during lunchtime at work or after dinner in the evening, is far more productive and easier, than longer sessions I may get at the weekends. I'm 22k words through my zero draft and very happy so far. Great videos.
Great video!! Very wise advice because I keep putting off my writing because I feel I don't have that chunk of time. I'm getting a new computer soon so hopefully this will inspire me to get back into writing even if it's only 20 minutes!
It took me about five years to write 'Every Time He Dies'. It took that long because it was my first novel and I was learning how to write a novel *by* writing a novel. Because it was such a long stretch, I used many different approaches. Sometime I would write in 20 min chucks and sometimes I'd anywhere between 4-8 hours. It also depended on what stage of the writing process I was at, drafting, structural edit, copyedit, or proofreading. The point of the video was that it is easier and more manageable to find 20 minutes of free time in which to write and that we don't *have* to wait to have a full free day.
Thank you for your reply. How do you keep on writing between 4 and 8 hours at a time? Do you ever get bored? Do you ever regret not taking time for other things? Are you constantly being bombarded with ideas? Was your novel the result of a set idea or was it just seat of the pants? (Think Casablanca-a screenplay that was strictly made up as they went along).
This quote might help answer my question: of war, the world of politics. I had to create a world of my own, like a climate, a country, an atmosphere in which I could breathe, reign, and recreate myself when destroyed by living. That, I believe, is the reason for every work of art. ~Anaïs Nin
This is so important! In my habit tracker I give myself a "\" even if all I've done is sat down, opened the file, and stared at it for 15 minutes; I give myself a "/", completing the "X" if I managed 45 minutes or done anything fulsome over the course of the day, whether in one sitting or in several small sittings. "Little by little, a little becomes a lot."
What a great idea/habit! Thank you so much for sharing. And yes, tiny actions certainly add up!
Totally agree with your point here. I find that the one hour a day I write, which can be during lunchtime at work or after dinner in the evening, is far more productive and easier, than longer sessions I may get at the weekends. I'm 22k words through my zero draft and very happy so far. Great videos.
Oh, absolutely! So glad you resonated with the video and thank you for the compliment!
Great comments, thanks Tara.
Thanks, Rob!
Great video!! Very wise advice because I keep putting off my writing because I feel I don't have that chunk of time. I'm getting a new computer soon so hopefully this will inspire me to get back into writing even if it's only 20 minutes!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video and that it makes writing regularly feel more manageable!
So, how did you write “Every time he’s Dies?” Was it in 20 minute chunks during the day or did you pull marathon sessions to do it? Thanks.
It took me about five years to write 'Every Time He Dies'. It took that long because it was my first novel and I was learning how to write a novel *by* writing a novel. Because it was such a long stretch, I used many different approaches. Sometime I would write in 20 min chucks and sometimes I'd anywhere between 4-8 hours. It also depended on what stage of the writing process I was at, drafting, structural edit, copyedit, or proofreading. The point of the video was that it is easier and more manageable to find 20 minutes of free time in which to write and that we don't *have* to wait to have a full free day.
Thank you for your reply. How do you keep on writing between 4 and 8 hours at a time? Do you ever get bored? Do you ever regret not taking time for other things? Are you constantly being bombarded with ideas? Was your novel the result of a set idea or was it just seat of the pants? (Think Casablanca-a screenplay that was strictly made up as they went along).
This quote might help answer my question: of war, the world of politics. I had to create a world of my own, like a climate, a country, an atmosphere in which I could breathe, reign, and recreate myself when destroyed by living. That, I believe, is the reason for every work of art. ~Anaïs Nin