Determination in Gear

For the first time, I first drafted three chapters in a single day. I busted a writing myth that had been stuck in my head and wrote approximately 6,000 words. (Hat tip to you, Dean Wesley Smith!) And, you know what, I had fun writing those three chapters. Guess what I did to celebrate? I sent out a few hey-guess-what-texts, then jotted down ideas for the next days chapters, and the next morning wrote another chapter.

While I get excited about busting myths and achieving writing goals, since writing books is my job, my focus is production.

Author Dean Wesley Smith's blog post regarding How to Keep Production Going All Year helped me discover which scheduling & production method works for me. (Idea #4 inspired me to set a goal of the number of books I will publish this year, with an increase in the goal for next year, due to shortened learning curve in 2014.)

The key ingredients for me to gain focus and production:

• Disconnect from the internet (using Freedom Internet Blocking software)
• Turn overhead lights off
• Turn reading lamp on
• Play relaxing instrumental music low in the background
• Jot brief bullet notes about upcoming potential scenes 
• SBICAW (Sit Butt in Chair and Write)

With spending so many hours in front of the computer keyboard and monitor, having an ergonomic enviroment is a must:

• Desk or Writing Table right height
• Feet flat on floor or on footrest
• Arms straight out from the bend of the elbow from armrests

To make the length of time writing non-damaging and bearable:

• Write in stints of 45 minutes to 1 hour in length
• Take breaks every 45 minutes to 1 hour
• Do arm neck & shoulder stretches spaced throughout the day
• Lie flat on floor and stretch out back throughout day
• Space writing stints throughout the day

Also, in a comment in his recent blogs about ghost writing a book, Author Dean Wesley Smith mentioned focusing on the next line, then the next, then the next. With this method, Book #5 in Series #1 has taken several unexpected and interesting turns and presented some awesome plot twists! (He graciously took the time to answer questions and reply to comments; therefore, the comments are an integral part of the posts and well worth the read.)

Writing life doesn't have to be limited and long suffering. As Dead Wesley Smith said in his myth-busting blog post Writing is Hard, while writing more than six to eight hours a day is hard work, making stuff up is not.

Another aspect of his advice is to have fun, and, oh man, am I.