Have you ever wondered how Stephen King manages to write and publish so many incredibly long and successful bestselling novels? Wish you could do the same? It’s not magic—it’s discipline and cultivating the right habits. Today, dear happy writer, we’ll learn how to become more productive writers by studying the writing habits of famous authors. We’ll peek into the daily routines of prolific authors and uncover the secrets to their creativity, productivity, and enjoyable writing sessions.

Whether you’re constantly struggling with a hectic schedule or the occasional, frustrating experience of writer’s block, you can easily borrow these habits from successful authors and apply them to your life. Let the masters inspire you and teach you how to become a more productive writer.

If you prefer the video version, check out the YouTube video below to learn from the writing habits of famous authors.

Consistency from daily word count goals

We’re starting the journey into the writing habits of famous authors with my favorite author—Stephen King. I love his writing style and how he brilliantly portrays the complexities of human psychology in his many, many novels. But what’s his secret for being so incredibly productive?

Consistency!

With novels like The Stand, It, and Under the Dome (my favorite Stephen King book)—all longer than 1,000 pages—consistent writing is absolutely crucial. Such massive projects demand dedication, consistent work, and a commitment to keep going until you reach the finish line.

Stephen King writes 2000 words (or 6 pages) per day, every single day. He makes no exceptions, not even on Christmas Day or on his birthday. Here’s the perfect role model to follow if you want to have a successful writing career!

I’m not saying you have to write 2000 words a day. What I am saying is that it’s helpful to be consistent in your writing, even if you can only write 200 words a day. Just keep the momentum going so you can move closer to your goal of writing a book!

I know that compared to Stephen King, many writers have far less time to dedicate to writing. A full-time job, family commitments, or health concerns make it challenging to spend several hours per day writing. But maybe you can spare 15-30 minutes per day? These small writing sessions will compound over time, and bit by bit, day by day, your manuscript will grow into that full-length novel you’ve been dreaming of writing.

The key is showing up regularly.

Writing inspiration from a change in scenery

Who doesn’t love a nice, long, relaxing bath? It’s a great way to unwind and clear your mind after a stressful day. And you know what happens when you clear your mind? You make space for new ideas! That’s what helped Agatha Chriestie come up with the intricate plots of her novels. Agatha Chriestie often got new ideas for her novels from taking a bath or washing dishes. Both activities have a meditative effect on the mind, enhancing the flow of creative ideas.

Which is the weirdest place you’ve come up with ideas for your novel? Here are some more examples from other prolific authors:

• A graveyard – A bit creepy, I know. But it seemed to work for Marry Shelley, who got her inspiration for her famous novel Frankenstein during her walks through graveyards.
• A train – I can’t imagine a world without Harry Potter and all the other beloved characters from the Harry Potter novels. And it all started on a delayed train, where J. K. Rowling sketched her first ideas for the book that would eventually fill the hearts of so many children and adults. Who wouldn’t love to have that kind of inspiration? Did you just switch tabs to book a train ride? I hope it works for you!
• A castle – It was a castle in Scotland that helped inspire some of the settings in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
• A prison cell – If you were in prison, what would you do with all that time on your hands? Miguel de Cervantes made excellent use of his prison time, beginning to write Don Quixote.

RELATED POST: Where Do Authors Get Their Creative Inspiration?

From a hot bath to a bone-chilling graveyard—inspiration may strike at any moment, any place! Have you tried any of these locations? Hopefully not the prison… But the others seem like good places to visit for some inspiration for your novels. Off you go, and don’t forget your notebook!

Productivity from outlining like a master

Okay! I know this one is a bit controversial and that some pantsers have very strong opinions about plotting. But so do plotters, and they swear by it. It’s worth giving it a try, but ultimately, choose the path that feels right for you.

Here’s the fun thing about the internet—you can easily find out the daily routines and writing habits of famous authors. Read about their practices, learn what makes them successful, and then model them.

John Grisham is an extremely successful author of legal thrillers, captivating millions of readers worldwide with bestselling novels like The Firm, The Client, The Pelican Brief, and many others. I wouldn’t mind achieving even a fraction of his success!

John Grisham relies heavily on outlines to keep his story on track. In fact, he mentions he prepares comprehensive 40-50 page outlines to have a good idea of where the story is going before he even starts writing.

An outline of 40 or 50 pages! That’s a lot of advance preparation! But does it work? Considering how successful he is, I’d say yes… Many other successful authors also rely on outlines, using them to shape their books, either in the form of a detailed roadmap or a shorter summary containing the main plot points. Give it a shot and see if outlining works for you.

Efficiency from writing sprints

We’ve talked about writing sprints before, and we’ll talk about them again because they’re a fantastic tool in a writer’s arsenal. They significantly increase your writing efficiency, allowing you to write more quickly.

The English novelist, Anthony Trollope, used writing sprints as a key component to his writing process, his impressive list of publications being all the proof we need of just how effective writing sprints can be. His approach to writing sprints was simple, but highly effective—writing in 15-minute intervals, with a target word count of 250 words for each interval. He dedicated three hours a day to this process, so if you do the math, it adds up to an impressive 3000 words a day.

Talk about efficiency! Wouldn’t you love to be able to write 3000 words a day and have one novel written in one month? Of course, we’re not all able to write 250 words in 15 minutes, but maybe some of us, slower writers (even with the sprinting) can get 250 words in 30 minutes. That’s still progress!

Short, focused bursts of creativity allow us to fully immerse in our novel, enabling us to write as much as we possibly can at maximum speed during a short period of time. Writing sprints also reduce the pressure of having to write an entire novel, keeping us focused on this writing session. And then the next one, and the next one… until the entire book is written. So writing sprints are a key ingredient to becoming a more efficient writer, all while having fun sprinting through the pages.

RELATED POST: The Pomodoro Technique for Writers

If you need help tracking your writing sprints and word count progress for your book, I have a Google Sheet Word Count Tracker that you can download for free and never lose track of your book progress again.

Work ethic from discipline and daily routine

Some writers resist discipline, thinking that it’s too restrictive, but it’s actually a crucial component of the successful career of many creatives. Talent alone isn’t enough. Many leading artists and writers attribute their achievements to their self-imposed discipline of doing the work, no matter what.

Nora Roberts credits a significant portion of her remarkable success in the publishing world to her unshakable discipline and strong work ethic. Over her long writing career, Nora Roberts published nearly 250 books under two different pen names (Nora Roberts and J. D. Robb), publishing about four books a year. She essentially juggles two writing careers, so if you want to learn how to be an exceptionally prolific author, I’d say there’s no better role model.

How is Nora Roberts so prolific? She has the discipline to sit in front of her computer and write for six to eight hours every day. And she even finds some time to write when she’s on vacation. Now that’s dedication!

Nora Roberts’s work ethic is absolutely impressive, but I realize that it’s a level of commitment that not every writer can match. Writing for six to eight hours feels completely unattainable when you work a full-time job, have a family to take care of, the dogs are begging you to take them out for a walk, and you still have to sleep and take care of your health. And please do prioritize your health, because achieving anything else on the list depends on you being well and healthy.

How can we achieve success like Nora Roberts? That depends on your personal circumstances. If you’re a full-time author, you can definitely try Nora Roberts’ writing routine. Try to cultivate a daily writing habit of six to eight hours if you can focus for that long.

Even with a busy schedule, you can still strive for strong self-discipline, adapting Nora Roberts’ work ethic to your own life. Just one hour a day, every day, dedicated solely to writing and free from distractions, can have a huge impact on your progress. Consistency and dedication are key to a successful writing career. It’s up to you how you tailor them into your own schedule and make them work for you.

Focus from chaos

And now, let’s get back to the magical world of Harry Potter! It takes an incredible amount of imagination and focus to write such a fascinating wizarding world that makes you want to be part of it. So you’d think one would have to be locked away in solitary confinement to bring this world to life.

Turns out isolation isn’t a necessary component for crafting amazing stories. J. K. Rowling wrote the first three books in the Harry Potter series in bustling cafés, proving that you can focus and connect with your muse even in the most chaotic environments. She probably would have continued writing from cafés if fame hadn’t gotten in the way! With the Harry Potter books becoming famous and her fans recognizing her everywhere she went, writing from cafés became counterproductive, leading her to find quieter writing places.

We were talking earlier about the importance of being consistent for a successful writing career. In this day and age, distractions are practically everywhere, conspiring to interfere with our focused writing sessions. Finding a way to write—even with all the noise and distraction of a café—will help you stay consistent in your writing.

J. K. Rowling’s inspiring journey shows us that a writer’s success doesn’t come from finding the ideal, quiet environment for writing. It comes from cultivating the discipline to write effectively regardless of your surroundings, proving that the ability to write anywhere is paramount to success. If she was able to create an entire magical world in the middle of a noisy café, then surely we could also find the focus we need to create our own captivating worlds and characters.

This post was all about the writing habits of famous authors. If you enjoyed it, you might also enjoy this post:

How to Write a Book While Working a Full-Time Job

Now it’s your turn. Let me know in the comments which famous author-inspired writing habits you incorporate into your own writing.

The post Writing Habits of Famous Authors: Tips on How to Be a More Productive Writer appeared first on Happy Writer Hub by Maria Baias.

Are you interested in learning how to make your writing sessions more efficient and fun at the same time? Does that sound impossible? It’s totally achievable if you merge quick bursts of focused writing with relaxing mini-breaks. This, dear happy writer, is the Pomodoro Technique for writers in action. It provides a fun and efficient way to supercharge your writing, keeping you focused and productive while having a great time!

In this post, we’ll uncover how this simple method can help you write more in less time without burning out. I’ll also share some fun tips to make your writing sessions more playful, so you’ll look forward to writing every day. Are you ready to sprint your way to a finished novel in record time? Set your timer… and let’s dive in!

If you prefer the video version, check out the YouTube video below for tips on using the Pomodoro method to increase your writing productivity.

What is the Pomodoro Technique and why is it essential for writers?

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is the tomato technique. It’s where you fill your desk with tomatoes and hope they unleash your creativity and activate an endless supply of ideas. Just kidding! But it is related to tomatoes, in the sense that the name “pomodoro” comes from the Italian word for tomato, which is the shape of the original timer used by the technique’s creator, Francesco Cirillo.

Let’s have another go at it, for real this time.

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method where you work on a task for 25 minutes. During this time interval, you focus only on that task and nothing else. After 25 minutes of uninterrupted work, you take a 5-minute for your brain to relax before moving on to the next focused time block. After every four “pomodoros” (work intervals), you take a longer break, typically 20-30 minutes.

How does the Pomodoro Technique help writers?

For writers, the Pomodoro technique is a great way to boost word counts during writing sessions. Because that 25-minute time interval is allocated entirely to writing, it means that all other activities are completely off-limits. No editing, no research, and definitely no stalking your friends on social media. And that’s when the magic happens!

Writing continuously for 25 minutes, completely focused on the story, prevents your mind from wandering as you strive to write as many words as possible during that time. With this kind of focus, you’ll see that the words flow faster than you can type them. By the end of the writing day/session, you’ll have written a lot more than if you stopped after every few words to see if there’s a better word you can use, or if your ex posted any new pictures from his holiday.

The best part about the Pomodoro technique is that after every new writing interval, when you look at the progress you made in just 25 minutes, you feel more energized and confident. This energy fuels your creativity, boosting your word count with every new writing session!

If you’re a busy writer working a full-time job, the Pomodoro technique can be very effective in helping you maximize focus and productivity even during brief writing sessions.

Pre-Pomodoro preparation: optimizing your writing zone

When beginning your writing session, it’s important to be fully focused on your manuscript. Set yourself up for success with some pre-Pomodoro session preparation and watch your word count skyrocket as you type faster than The Flash.

Optimizing the workspace

First things first. We talked before about the importance of maintaining a clear, organized desk. An uncluttered workspace helps you get in the zone faster, minimizing distractions and maximizing idea generation.

The whole idea of the Pomodoro technique is to help you be as productive as possible. Writing in a clutter-free environment will make the writing session so much more effective and enjoyable. Don’t let the ten coffee mugs, the collapsing stack of papers, and the sea of scattered pens on your desk distract you. Don’t choke the muse with your clutter! Make space for her to come and inspire you by clearing your writing space and your mind.

Optimizing the Pomodoro session

Now that your writing space is ready for your creative mind to get to work, let’s see how to optimize the writing session. Here are a few things you can try:

Pomodoro timers

These can be digital timers or physical ones. I use a digital timer called Be Focused. Be Focused is only available on Macs, but there are other similar timers available for PCs. You don’t like the idea of using a digital timer? You can use a physical timer instead, like this fun tomato-shaped timer (if you don’t mind the ticking sound), or a timer that’s more specifically designed for the Pomodoro technique.

Distraction blocking apps

Even with the timer counting down, you might sometimes give in to the temptation of searching for something or checking your phone during the Pomodoro interval. For these cases, blocking apps like Freedom and Forest work wonders, keeping you in the writing zone so that nothing can come between you and your manuscript.

Ideal writing ambiance

Do you prefer working with music or in complete sound isolation? A brightly lit room or a softer candle glow – which creates the right writing mood? Are you too drowsy to write when it’s hot, or you just can’t move your fingers on the keyboard if it’s too cold? The perfect blend of music, lighting, and temperature can transform your writing process, making words flow smoothly. Experiment to find what works best for you and watch your writing flourish.

Customizing the Pomodoro sessions for your writing rhythm

The great thing about the Pomodoro Technique is that it is fully customizable. You don’t have to work with the classic writing intervals of 25 minutes and breaks of 5 minutes. You can adjust these settings to fit your needs and preferences and make it work for you.

After 25 minutes, when the timer goes off, could you easily keep working for another 20 minutes? Awesome! Or, on the contrary, you find that with a 25-minute timer, the final five minutes seem to stretch out and drag on excessively, considerably reducing your writing speed? No problem! Experiment with extending or shortening the time interval in the Pomodoro timer and see how long you can go without losing focus. Use the interval that works for you.

Just like with the writing intervals, the breaks are completely customizable as well. If 5 minutes between two writing intervals is not enough for you to recharge, take a longer break. The classic Pomodoro Technique uses a 20-minute break after four work intervals. But that might not be enough for you. If you need one hour, use it. It’s better to take a longer break to fully recharge than to push through when you’re tired and unfocused, which reduces your creativity and productivity.

Experiment and find what works for you! All these writing tools are there to help us, so make them work for you. Customize the Pomodoro technique to match your own power of concentration and your writing flow.

Gamifying your writing: turning work into play

Seeing the words flow onto the page is both motivating and exciting, proving that small bursts of focused writing can significantly advance your manuscript. But you know makes the writing process even more exciting? Gamifying your Pomodoro sessions. Adding playful elements to your writing reduces the pressure of creating a flawless first draft and boosts your creativity, making the whole writing process more fun.

Here’s what you can do to make the writing session more fun.

First, you need to track your word count for each writing interval. Every time the timer goes off, jot down how many words you wrote during that time interval. Then, in the next time interval, challenge yourself to beat the previous interval’s word count. Isn’t this fun? Not only does it give you a fun game to play, but it also makes you more productive as you constantly try to beat your word count record.

Word count trackers

To help you keep track of your writing sprints, I created a Google Sheet that you can download for free using the form below so you can monitor your progress after every Pomodoro session. It helps you keep track of your word count after each writing sprint, calculates your progress for the day after all the writing sprints, shows your full progress in the book and how many words you still have left until the finish line. Use it to make writing days more productive and fun.

You can make the writing game even more fun if you add rewards. If you like stickers (like I do) you can award yourself a little sticker on your word count notebook (if you prefer physical copies) to celebrate achieving a certain word count goal for the interval or for the full writing session that day. Or you create a list of rewards for different milestones in the Google Sheet, next to the word count tracker, to show which reward you earn for each milestone.

Do you want to elevate the writing game even more? Every day, have a little competition with yourself and see if you can do better than the previous day. It’s a simple, satisfying way to keep track of your wins and celebrate your writing achievements. In a friendly writing competition with yourself, there’s really only one winner—YOU—and you win, no matter the outcome! And you’re having fun along the way.

Keep writing and keep searching for ways to make it fun.

This post was all about the Pomodoro Technique for writers. If you enjoyed it, you might also enjoy this post:

The Benefits of Writing First Thing in the Morning

Now it’s your turn. Let me know in the comments how you make your writing sessions more fun.

The post The Pomodoro Technique for Writers: Write More in Less Time appeared first on Happy Writer Hub by Maria Baias.

Imagine this scenario: You wake up early in the morning, have your breakfast, and with your reliable cup of coffee next to you, you sit down in your writing chair and start typing. You don’t stop until you achieve your goal for the day. As a result, you finish your writing session before the world starts moving. That, dear happy writer, is the secret power of writing first thing in the morning. Whether you’re an established author or working on your first novel, mornings might just turn out to be your creative superpower.

In this post, I will show you how writing first thing in the morning makes you a more productive writer by helping you write your novel faster, improving your day, and boosting your motivation.

If you prefer the video version, check out the YouTube video below on how to unlock your creative superpower with morning writing sessions.

Clear mind, clear creativity

It’s a brand-new day. The possibilities early in the morning are endless. The world is still asleep with nobody around to bother you. Your mind is fresh and brimming with ideas waiting to come to life. There’s no better time to put your creativity to work.

When you wake up in the morning, your mind is clear of all the clutter and problems from the day before. Writing first thing in the morning prevents all those mundane issues from interfering with your creativity. You can dedicate 100% of your mind to your writing.

Neuroscience studies show that a good night’s sleep restores your brain by flushing out the toxins accumulated during the day. This process optimizes your brain function and provides a more clear mind to tackle creative challenges upon waking up. With improved reasoning, sharper focus, and enhanced problem-solving skills, sleep gives you the mental clarity needed to advance your manuscript with ease and creativity!

Jumpstart your day with a win

Tackling your writing goals first thing in the morning sets the day for success. Even if you don’t do anything else for the rest of the day, you’ve already won. You’re pursuing your goal, and you’ve taken the necessary steps to achieve it. It’s a huge win for the day, and it’s taking you closer to your dream.

Doesn’t it feel awesome when you start your day with a win? It makes you believe you can achieve anything and makes you feel unstoppable and ready to crush any problems the new day brings. Knowing that you’ve already achieved so much before everyone else even got out of bed sets the tone for a successful day. You move through the day more energized and productive in everything you do.

A creative achievement first thing in the morning fuels your imagination and enhances your creativity to take on the rest of your projects for that day. When I was working on my first novel first thing in the morning before going to work, I always felt more energized throughout the day and more resourceful in solving all the challenges that I was confronted with that day, including those I encountered in my day job. For tips on how to balance a day job with your creative endeavors, check out this other post on how to write while working a full-time job.

Fewer distractions, better focus

Your creativity flows more easily and ideas come to life faster when there’s nothing else crowding your brain. The early morning hours provide the medium for creativity to spark because of the fewer distractions, at least in the physical form. There are still many virtual distractions that could interfere with your creative process. So beware of all the Facebook posts and messages sneaking in, as they can derail you from your goal.

When you write before checking social media, emails, or the news, your thoughts remain uncluttered and entirely your own. By avoiding the mental noise of everyone else’s problems, you leave plenty of room for your creativity to shine and your ideas to flow freely! Stay vigilant and resist the urge to scroll, so you can keep your imagination working where it’s needed the most.

Do you find it too difficult to resist the temptation of social media and other virtual distractions? I have the perfect solution for you. I use Freedom on my computer to block all websites except the ones I need for the writing session. It’s amazing how much work you can get done when you can’t access any websites. The Freedom app also works on your phone. This comes in handy when you find that you just can’t help yourself from reaching out for your phone every few minutes. Give yourself the gift of uninterrupted creativity by restricting access to your phone.

Consistent writing momentum

Based on what we’ve seen so far, writing first thing in the morning is clearly a huge win. But you know what would be an even bigger win? Doing it every morning.

Hitting 1000 words in the morning writing session feels amazing, but there’s a catch—it doesn’t get you too close to your goal if you only do it once in a while. You need to show up every morning and do the work consistently. I know that everyone’s situation is different and circumstances might prevent you from forming a daily morning writing habit. But the more often you can show up for your story in the morning, the more you will unlock the benefits of writing in the morning. The key is consistency—that’s where the magic happens!

Having a regular writing routine keeps the story fresh in your mind, helps you get into writing mode faster when you sit down to write, and keeps your story flowing. If you show up consistently, so will your muse!

To help you slip into writing mode faster and make the most of your mornings, I’ve created a free downloadable checklist designed to keep you focused, inspired, and productive during your writing sessions. It’s your friendly guide to turning quiet mornings into real writing progress—without stress or overwhelm. You can download the file using the form below.

Increased confidence and self-discipline

You did it! You woke up early and crushed your writing goal for the day—way to go! And guess what? That’s not the only achievement of the day. The benefits of doing this don’t just help in your writing endeavors, but they can also transform all other aspects of your life because you gain two invaluable skills: confidence and self-discipline.

Increased confidence from writing first thing in the morning

When you’ve finished your writing session and see that the day is barely starting, it fills you with a powerful sense of accomplishment. You’ve achieved so much while the others are still asleep. The thought boosts your confidence, and you feel like you can achieve anything.

The confidence from seeing your word count attained carries over into everything else you do that day. You’ve proven to yourself that you can show up, do the work, and achieve your goals. You now know you’ve got what it takes to crush your goals, and with that confidence, you’re ready to take on any problems the new day throws at you.

Increased self-discipline from writing first thing in the morning

You managed to stay in the chair and keep your fingers moving on the keyboard for as long as it took to achieve your writing goal for the day. You now know it’s possible to get it done. Do you know what that does to your brain? It sends the message that I can do anything as long as I stick to it. Besides boosting your confidence, it also shows you how much more you can achieve if you harness the power of self-discipline.

When you combine writing first thing in the morning with consistency, you develop rock-solid self-discipline that will benefit every aspect of your life. This is your new superpower for boosting your productivity and making huge progress in all the projects you’re working on. Moreover, self-discipline will positively impact your mood by giving you that awesome feeling that you are in control of your life.

Enhanced problem-solving

If you write early in the morning, your characters and your readers will thank you for it. Because in the morning, your mind is fresh, this is the perfect time to deal with all the plot holes and inconsistencies in character arcs.

Put the clarity that comes from a good night’s sleep to work. Use it to brainstorm exciting scenarios that will help you move the plot forward and get your characters into as much trouble as possible and make their life a living hell. Then, getting them out of trouble will require another good night’s sleep and a fresh morning perspective.

I always find that whatever plot issues I had the night before are much easier to solve in the morning. Solutions that felt impossible to spot at night suddenly become crystal clear in the morning when my mind is refreshed and free from the clutter of a day’s worth of information and problems.

Writing first thing in the morning doesn’t just boost your productivity, it also helps you unleash your creativity! By starting your day with a writing session, you’re not just making progress on your novel, but also setting the tone for a day filled with creativity, resourcefulness, and joy. So grab that coffee, head to your favorite writing spot, and let your writing magic unfold. You’ve got this, dear happy writer!

This post was all about the benefits of writing first thing in the morning and how morning writing sessions can make you more productive. If you enjoyed it, then you might also enjoy this post:

How to Write When You Don’t Feel Like Writing

Now it’s your turn. Let me know in the comments what your preferred writing time is. Do you prefer the early mornings or the late nights?

The post Why Writing First Thing in the Morning Makes You a More Productive Writer appeared first on Happy Writer Hub by Maria Baias.

Have you been struggling to figure out how to write a book with a full-time job? So many of us say that we would love to write a book. But life, work, and many other obstacles often get in the way. Or maybe we let them get in the way because we’re scared to start. We’re scared of doing something new; we’re afraid of criticism, of failure, so we keep putting it off indefinitely. But if you overcome that fear, it is possible, dear happy writer, to write a book while working a full-time job.

In this post, I will share with you some tips that helped me write my first novel while working a full-time job. I hope you find some of these tips helpful, and I hope you will succeed in writing the book of your dreams.

If you prefer the video version, check out the YouTube video below for tips on writing your book with a busy schedule.

Find the time to write a book with a full-time job

If you want to write a book, the first thing you need is to find the time to write it. And when you’re busy with a full-time job, and adding to that the commute time, the time you spend with your family, and all the house chores, not to mention you also need a few good hours to sleep, it feels like you’re already using more than the available 24 hours in a day.

So, then how do people do it?! How can anyone manage to find the time to write a book when working a full-time job? Here are a few things you can try.

Short writing sessions every day

Writing for half an hour per day is all you need. If you’re consistent and write every day, even if it’s just a few hundred words per day, you will get to the finish line. Day by day, the words add up, and with just a few hundred words per day, in less than a year, you can have a book written by you.

Isn’t it exciting to imagine yourself holding your own novel in your hands?!

But to do that, you have to get that half an hour. It’s not a long period of time, so hopefully it doesn’t feel overwhelming. But where do you find that spare half an hour?

Any chance you could reduce the amount of time you spend in front of the TV or watching Netflix or some funny cat videos on YouTube? Yes, I love them too! But the funny cats, dogs, and other animals can wait until after your writing session.

Maybe you’re already not doing any of these activities, and you wonder what else can I skip?

Since we’re only talking about half an hour, do you think you could set up your alarm clock just half an hour earlier in the morning (for early birds) or go to sleep half an hour later (all you night owls out there that I envy)? Do you think you could find some spare 30 minutes early in the day before going to work, or late at night after you’re done with all your other housework and everybody else in your household has gone to bed? That can be your quiet writing time. But sleep is important, so you shouldn’t deprive yourself of sleep.

If mornings and evenings are not an option, then how about your lunch break? Can you skip lunch or eat while working? That could also give you the half an hour you need to write.

If none of the above work, there’s also your commute time. No, I’m not suggesting you take out your laptop and write while you’re driving! But you could use dictation apps and dictate the book into your phone and transcribe it at a later time. Many authors use dictation to speed up the writing process, and it might work for you, too. And if you use public transport for your commute, then you can take out your laptop, or tablet, or even your phone, and write.

When I wrote my first novel, most of my writing sessions were in the early mornings. The first thing I did in the morning was to write in my novel. When I started my day writing, I felt much more relaxed through the day because I gave myself that half an hour (or an hour sometimes) every morning to expand my creativity. That helped me be more creative throughout the entire day and brought creativity to my job as well.

Let me know in the comments what your preferred writing time is. Do you prefer writing in the morning, in the evening, or on weekends?

Writing marathon on a weekend

I was going to suggest here writing the full weekend, but I realize there might also be some other things people need to get done on a weekend. So you can still go about your weekend plans, but maybe you can take one day per weekend or every two weekends to write. A writing marathon!

When you dedicate a full day to writing, you can advance your writing more than you expect. That’s because you’re immersed in your book for a whole day, and that can put you in a flow state. Ideas come faster when you’re spending all that time in the world of your book without interruptions.

If you think your will alone will not keep you writing for a whole day, try a writing challenge. I tried a 10K writing challenge several times, and the challenge always helped me to push myself towards achieving the goal of writing ten thousand words in a day. It’s an added motivation to push yourself to write more. I never actually managed to write ten thousand words in a day, but the idea of challenging yourself to get to 10K keeps you focused, and makes you push yourself harder to finish it.

If you don’t get to 10K, it’s okay! You still made huge progress in writing your book, and you’re several thousand words closer to the finish line. Well done!

Writing sprints (Pomodoro technique)

Writing sprints go hand in hand with the idea of not editing while you write. We’re slower in writing when we stop to edit each sentence we’ve written to make it sound better. But editing while you write might slow down your writing.

Some people prefer to edit while they write, so it’s up to you to decide how you want to proceed with your writing. But if you want to finish writing your book fast, it might be better to focus on finishing your first draft first, and when it’s done, you can do all the edits you want.

If you want to write fast, writing springs are your best friends. Whether you’re trying the short daily sessions or binge writing on a weekend, using writing sprints will increase your output. Not only will you write more during your writing sessions, but you’ll also be more focused on what you’re writing.

How writing sprints work

They are based on the Pomodoro Technique, which encourages you to work for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break before going to the next 25-minute working period. When we apply this to our writing session, it means that we write continuously for 25 minutes.

Keep your fingers on the keyboard!

During the writing sprint, you do not surf the net; you do not research anything; you do not edit, and you do nothing else other than write sentence after sentence in your book. Then you get a 5-minute break, and then you start again.

Try to write as fast as you can during each 25-minute slot and see how many words you can write during that time. Then, challenge yourself to write more in each new 25-minute time slot.

If you see that 25 minutes is too long for you, you can try doing 20-minute writing sprints. Or you can go for 30 minutes if you don’t lose focus and you want to push yourself more. Or if you’re really adventurous, set your timer for a 60-minute writing sprint.

I didn’t believe it when I heard other writers talk about the efficiency of writing sprints, but then I tried it and I was amazed at the results. I wrote so much more by using the Pomodoro Technique!

Whether or not you believe it would work, I suggest you give it a try. What do you have to lose? Try it a few times, and if you don’t like it or you feel it doesn’t work for you, you can change your approach. But I highly recommend you try this technique and watch your word count grow.

WRITING SPRINTS TRACKER

To help you keep track of your Pomodoro sessions, I created a Google Sheet that you can download for free so you can monitor your progress after each writing sprint. It calculates your progress for the day after all the writing sprints, shows your full progress in the book and how many words you still have left until the finish line. Use it to make writing days more productive and fun.

Be consistent in your writing

Writing every day makes the job easier. Why? Because if you leave a few days between writing sessions, you might forget what you wrote, or you might forget what you want to write.

If you only have half an hour per day to write, you don’t want to use half of that time to trace your thoughts, to remember where you were or what you’re supposed to write next. You want to spend as much of that time as possible writing and advancing your book.

Consistency is equally important if you’re a weekend writer. If you don’t have time to write during the week, and choose to write only on weekends, then it would be easier for you if you could write every weekend, or every second weekend. Just don’t let too many weekends go between your writing sessions so you don’t lose momentum and so you don’t waste too much time reading through what you last wrote and remembering why you wrote that and where you were trying to go with it.

Have fun writing your book

Finally, a significant aspect of writing a book is to have fun writing it! Enjoy the time you spend creating and putting your ideas into words, sentences, paragraphs, and chapters!

Don’t view writing as a chore. View it as a fun experience during which you get to explore your imagination, to explore new ideas, and to share them with the people who will read your book. If you do that, you’ll be looking forward to your writing sessions, regardless of how short they might be. You won’t even see the time fly. Just make sure you set up a timer so you don’t forget to go to work because you’re having too much fun writing.

Attempting to write a book with a full-time job is not easy. But with patience, dedication, perseverance, and most of all, passion, you will manage to write that book you’ve been dreaming of writing.

I wish you the best of luck in writing your book! And remember to have fun on your writing journey!

This post was all about how to write a book with a full-time job. If you enjoyed it, you might also enjoy this post:

How to Write When You Don’t Feel Like Writing

Now it’s your turn. Let me know in the comments what your best tips are for writing a book while working full-time.

The post How to Write a Book with a Full-Time Job and Finish Your Book appeared first on Happy Writer Hub by Maria Baias.