How To Get Your Work Working

By Ewrither

Try this:

Make it easier to write

Writing takes effort. Pressing your butt into the chair then pressing keys takes mental effort.
You don’t need much to make the effort worthwhile and productive: You, a comfortable writing position, a tool (pen, keyboard or dictation device) and time.

Simple devices and ready availability make it hard to avoid writing. The simpler the setup, the more likely you can use it anywhere – catching random thoughts, quick snatches of brilliance etc. It need not be the best but when it’s close at hand, you will use it.

A sheet of plain writing paper folded and tucked into the clip of a standard ballpoint pen fits into a pocket or bag.

Your phone is on you or near you most of the day – dictate; send yourself a text or email; or phone yourself and leave a voicemail. You can review these notes when you have time at your main writing device.

A folding keyboard makes it easy to whip up a paragraph, make some notes about that tricky third chapter, fill out the main character’s personality with some discreet observation of someone in a cafe. Many fold to the size of a phone. If you use your phone like this a lot, you may want to add a compact folding stand that supports your phone for easier viewing and touchscreen use.

You can use online systems for writing such as Google Docs that allow you access anywhere (assuming you have the internet reliably available). And there are trade-offs, but if it works for you, it works.

Sometimes the best thing to write is a short piece called “X ways I have sabotaged my writing process”. You may be surprised how many ways you have done this and how effective you are at applying them. Getting to know them allows you to recognize them and turn away from them and into your writing. After a while you can edit the document’s title to “X ways I no longer sabotage my writing process”.

And now it’s time to get writing, you recovering saboteur…

Ewrither writes short, long, soft or strong. Hence the writhing nature of the beast. The writing and the beast are non-venomous and prone to random humor.