Reading time: about 4 minutes

To be a truly productive writer you need plenty of shut-eye. The absence of sleep will not only negatively affect your health, but it will also hurt your writing… Here’s how to get more sleep:

I think a lot about sleep. A trip I once took to Italy left me with three legacies: Many fond memories. A few extra pounds from all the excellent food I ate. And a thoroughly messed up sleep schedule that had me falling into bed at 9:30 p.m. and awakening at 12:30 a.m., ready to work or party.

But sleep isn’t just about being a functioning human being. It also has a lot to do with writing. That’s because sleep affects executive function: the area of the brain responsible for creative thinking, decision-making, memory and reaction time.

The first factor is crucial for writing, the latter three for editing. Writing coaches often recommend that people get up early to write before their regular day begins. I never recommend this until I know the person is already getting enough sleep.

So here is my 13-step primer on how to catch better ZZZZZs.

1. Be sure to understand how much sleep you really need.

Everyone is different, but the typical minimum recommendation is seven hours. And some people need as many as 10. Note that the current average in the U.S. is only six hours and 27 minutes. (It’s even worse in Belgium, the U.K., Canada, Italy, Norway and Japan. But it’s slightly better in Australia, Spain, New Zealand and China. See stats for more countries.) A 2015 study suggests that researchers may have overestimated the amount of time we need for sleeping, but here’s what I say: You know when you’re tired. If you’re dragging yourself through each day, you need more sleep.

2. Set a regular bedtime and (more important) a regular waking-up time.

This time should be consistent seven days of the week, which I know flies against the societal norm of “sleeping in” on weekends. It also makes it difficult to go to parties or special events. I don’t want to ruin your social life, so let me share a tip that a sleep doctor once gave me: If you have to change your bedtime, so be it. But don’t change your waking-up time. Force yourself to get out of bed at the same time every day, no matter how little sleep you’ve had. “This is the single most important tip for improving your sleep,” the doctor told me.

3. If you need to make up for lost sleep, have a daytime nap instead.

And know that daytime naps don’t always mean falling asleep. Relaxing and lying down is often just as helpful. Napping is easier if you’re in the dark and if you’re lying down. The best time to nap is midafternoon (between 2 and 4 p.m. when many of us are naturally sleepy) and timing is important, so set yourself an alarm. A short nap of 10 to 20 minutes can make you more alert and improve your concentration. A nap of 45 to 90 minutes may get you into slow wave and REM sleep, which enhances creativity.

4. Turn off all backlit screens at least one hour before bedtime.

This means TVs, computers, smart phones and e-readers (unless, like some Kindle models, they’re not backlit). The “blue light” emitted by screens disrupts our bodies’ ability to produce melatonin, a sleep hormone. Here’s my cheat: I’ve bought myself a pair of blue-light-blocking glasses. Now, if I ever have to work at my computer close to bedtime, I wear these glasses and have no difficulty sleeping. They’re cheap. Get yourself a pair! This is particularly important if you’re obliged to check your cellphone just before going to sleep.

5. Make sure you’re warm — wear socks if necessary — but that your bedroom is cool, dark and quiet.

The ideal temperature for sleeping is 65 degrees F (18 C), which you can often control — in fall and winter at least — by the degree to which you open your windows. Research suggests that our penchant for heavily controlled temperatures (with central heating and air conditioning) may actually disrupt our sleep. Turns out our bodies seem to be programmed to become sleepy when the temperature drops. Getting rid of unnecessary light is another issue. Even the light from a clock radio can disrupt your sleep. I pile books in front of mine, and I have tinfoil on top of the security box in our room. Even the light from a smoke alarm can be disruptive, so put some tinfoil over that as well. If you can’t make your room utterly dark, then buy an inexpensive mask to wear over your eyes.

6. Don’t allow your sleeping time to be taken over by worrying.

Somehow, when we lie down in a dark room, it’s easy to let our brains gyre and gimble on problems, disagreements and everything else that’s going wrong in our lives. But bedtime is not the right time for this! Instead, schedule other times when you can do that sort of reflecting. Go for a walk or run. Talk to a friend. Or keep a journal in which you can document your concerns and get them off  your mind.

7. Eliminate caffeine shortly after lunch.

Don’t drink coffee, tea or colas after 2 p.m. Caffeine can mess with your metabolism long after you’ve taken it. Also be aware of some of the unexpected sources of caffeine: chocolate and some over-the-counter cold medications.

8. Avoid alcohol at least three hours before bedtime.

I know some people think a nightcap helps them fall asleep more easily. It does. But it wrecks the quality of your sleep. If you’re at a party, keep your drinking modest and do it early in the evening to give yourself a chance to sober up before you go to bed.

9. Avoid sugar before bedtime.

Sugar also messes with your metabolism. Try to keep desserts modest at dinnertime and, if you need a snack before bed, make it something like low-sugar cereal with milk, cheese and crackers or a piece of toast.

10. Get exercise.

Some studies suggest that moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking, significantly reduces the time it takes to fall asleep and increases the length of sleep in people with chronic insomnia. Experts don’t fully understand the reasons for this, but they suppose that exercise releases serotonin and dopamine — neurotransmitters that are involved in the sleep production hormone melatonin. Just note that you shouldn’t do vigorous exercise close to bedtime — that’s more likely to rev you up than relax you.

11. Avoid drinking too many liquids in the evening.

The more you drink, the more you’ll have to pee. My husband likes to call me a “camel” because I can hold a lot of liquid, but if I’m more careful about how much water I drink at dinnertime (and thereafter), I’m less likely to wake up in the middle of the night.

12. Quit smoking.

Nicotine is a stimulant. If you’re a smoker, it’s going to be harder for you to sleep. Yet another reason to think about butting out!

13. Wake up to light.

If I didn’t share a bedroom with my husband, I’d invest in one of those fancy lights that awakens you by turning itself on at the time you’ve set it for. (That won’t work for us because my husband usually goes to bed later and sleeps later than I do.) But to wake up, expose your body to light. This resets your circadian rhythm. In winter, turn on lots of bright lights. (And if you suffer from seasonal affective disorder, as I do, invest in an inexpensive SAD light.) In summer, open your blinds and go for a morning walk if you can.

These tips should help you improve your sleep, perhaps dramatically. Know, however, that if you snore loudly, with frequent pauses in breathing, or have frequent morning headaches, you may suffer from sleep apnea. If that’s the case, go see a doctor. Sleep apnea can shorten your life.

But any sleep problems can interfere with your writing life.

An earlier version of this post first appeared on my blog on Oct. 23/15.

If you liked this post, you’ll also like 5 reasons to make sleep a top priority.

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Need some help developing a better, more sustainable writing or editing routine? Learn about my three-month accountability program called Get It Done. There is turn-over each month, and priority will go to those who have applied first. You can go directly to the application form and you’ll hear back from me within 24 hours.

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My video podcast last week addressed whether teachers should assess research diaries. You can watch the video or read the transcript, and you can also subscribe to my YouTube channel.

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Do you know how to get more sleep? We can all learn from each other, so please, share your thoughts with my readers and me in the comments section, below. If you comment on today’s post (or any others) by Feb. 28/25 , I’ll put you in a draw for a digital copy of my first book, 8 1/2 Steps to Writing Faster, Better. To enter, please scroll down to the “comments,” directly underneath the “related posts” links, below. You don’t have to join Disqus to post! Read my tutorial to learn how to post as a guest. (It’s easy!)

 Viewing time: 4 mins 44 secs 

The Write Question is a weekly video podcast about writing that I started in 2017 and that ran, more or less weekly, until April 2022. This is a republication of issue #153, which asks: what’s the value of a writing model? The post first ran on Sept. 4/20.

Transcript: 

What’s the value of having a writing model? That’s the topic I’m addressing today in The Write Question. I’m Daphne Gray-Grant, the Publication Coach, still in pandemic mode. 

I have a question from Rosie Yassmin, a graduate student based in Melbourne, Australia. Here’s what she’s asked by email.

“I know you’ve spoken a number of times about the importance of having a ‘model’ for writing. Can you tell me a bit more about what you mean by that? And how will it help my writing? ” 

Thanks for your question Rosie. You’re right: I have long advocated having a “model” for everything you want to write. There are three main reasons why:

1) Models help you understand exactly what you’re trying to do. As the old joke in the newspaper business goes: editors are people who don’t know what they want until they see it. Clients are pretty much the same. They are usually imprecise, often vague, and always impatient. But do you know what? We’re often that way OURSELVES. Let’s imagine you’re writing a book or a dissertation. Won’t it be easier for you to visualize the structure you want and the amount of work you need to do if you can see how someone else has handled the task? 

2) Models give you a precise measuring stick. Many people read a piece of writing and yet don’t understand why they like — or dislike — it. With a model in hand, you can run readability stats (available free in MS Word or various piece of software, like ProWritingAid, see link below) and understand specifically what the writer has done. For example, with a model, you can see the grade level the client is aiming for. You can determine average sentence length. You can see how much passive voice the model author has used. Then, even without software, you can also examine more subtle measurements. These include use of metaphor,  concrete versus abstract language and “voice.” This knowledge is power and you can use it to guide your writing. 

3) Models make it possible for you, the writer, to gain “instant understanding.” You know the old saying “a photo is worth a thousand words”? Well, sometimes a thousand words can also behave like a photo. When you read a piece, put it down and ask yourself, “What impression did I get from that?” You’re having what I call a “snapshot reaction.” You’re considering the ineffables: tone, feeling and mood. You’re noticing the forest instead of the trees. If you want to learn how to sound like your model author, then I’d suggest you spend some time copying it. See link in the show notes to my blog post on becoming a copy cat. 

Now, one other question you didn’t ask, Rosie, relates to the number of models you’ll want. For some people, it will be difficult to find one piece of writing that’s able to be a model. If that describes your situation, understand that there’s nothing wrong with finding two or three models. Pick as many as you need to be able to provide you with some useful guidelines for your own writing. 

You can identify these models based on suggestions from friends, colleagues, clients, classmates or your own reading. The source is not hugely important. The main issue is to identify what you can learn from your models. 

Finally, let me wrap up with a quote from

Irish playwright and poet Oliver Goldsmith: “People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy.” 

Rosie, finding a good model is almost like finding a shortcut. The other writer will have dealt with some of the same challenges you’re facing and you may be able to use their solutions wholesale — or adapt them to face your own particular circumstances. In fact, having a good model is a little bit like having your own personal writing coach. 

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If you’d like to learn more about how to make writing a happier and more rewarding process, check out my latest book Your Happy First Draft. I don’t sell it in bookstores or via Amazon. The only place to buy it is on my website, link on the screen below and in the show notes.  

Links 

ProWriting Aid

Why you should become a copy cat 

Your Happy First Draft 

Reading time: Less than 3 minutes

Are you expecting TOO MUCH of yourself? Don’t let your BHAGs take control of your life….

You know what a BHAG is, right? It’s a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (pronounced like this: Bee Hag). 

I’m sure you have a few BHAGs lurking in your consciousness. They might relate to getting more exercise or losing weight or stopping smoking. Or to writing. 

If you’re wrestling with a BHAG, you’re probably saying things to yourself like:

• • I’m going to run a marathon 
  • I’m going to lose 25 pounds
  • I’m never going to smoke again
  • I’m going to write my book this year
  • I’m going to finish my dissertation in the next six months

In fact, this list may reflect some of your New Year’s resolutions (remember them?). Oh, right. The vast majority of people don’t manage to achieve their New Year’s resolutions.

Scientists have another name for BHAGs. They call them False-Hope Syndrome, which is exactly what it sounds like. University of Toronto professors Janet Polivy and C. Peter Herman gave the syndrome its name back in 2000 when their research revealed that people frequently underestimate the work they need to do to meet their self-improvement goals. We believe that self-change is easy, so we set expectations that are too high.  

So, if you really want to achieve your goals — rather than just watch them collect dust in the BHAG junk drawer — here are four steps you can take:

1-Examine barriers: If you’re promising yourself you’ll do something you’ve failed to accomplish before, figure out what stood in your way last time. And, more importantly, determine what you can do differently that will make you more likely to succeed. For example, if you tried writing a book by spending one hour a day on it — only you could never persuade yourself to sit at your desk that long — try a much smaller time goal. Say, five to 15 minutes. (I know, it will feel way too small. It isn’t!)

2-Clarify your values: If your goals conflict with your values in any way, then you’re much more likely to self-sabotage. For example, let’s imagine you want to write a book. But every time you sit down to write, you feel guilty about the time you’re taking away from your partner or your kids. If you find a way to align your values (say by limiting your writing time and by being more fully engaged with your partner/kids when you’re with them), you’re more likely to reach your goals.

3-Accept your emotions: Once you’ve clarified your values, ask yourself what feelings might arise as you work toward your goal. For example, if you earmark 15 minutes for writing every day, what will happen when your tearful six-year-old shows up at your office door demanding immediate attention? Plan what you are going to do — for both your child and yourself — and figure out how you will cope with the guilt you are likely to feel.

4-Act: Commit to changing your behaviour so it matches your values. For example, if you value writing but your other obligations (whether family- or work-related) often get in the way of that writing, then figure out how you can do both. This almost inevitably will cause you to spend a smaller amount of time on some of what you do, but smaller is always better than nothing.

I work with dozens of writers every month in my Get It Done program, helping them turn their BHAGs into smaller, sustainable habits. Your goal can set the direction, but you achieve that direction only if you have a habit in place.

It’s all too easy to be enticed by the allure of BHAGs. They sound BIG, impressive, attractive and compelling. But keep reminding yourself that they are seldom achievable (and this reality is not your fault.) 

Instead, prevent yourself from feeling defeated by keeping your goals small, manageable and realistic. You will be much happier that way. And much more successful, too. 

An earlier version of this post first appeared on my blog on March 9/21.

If you liked this post, you’ll also like The five-minute workday.

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Need some help developing a better, more sustainable writing or editing routine? Learn about my three-month accountability program called Get It Done. There is turn-over each month, and priority will go to those who have applied first. You can go directly to the application form and you’ll hear back from me within 24 hours.

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My video podcast last week described how to avoid becoming the “difficult” client. You can watch the video or read the transcript, and you can also subscribe to my YouTube channel. 

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How do you deal with your BHAGs? We can all learn from each other, so please, share your thoughts with my readers and me in the “comments” section, below. And congratulations to Susanne M.E. Sullivan, the winner of this month’s book prize, for a comment on my Dec. 17/24  blog about dos and don’ts for writing through the holidays. (Please send me your email address, Suzanne!) If you comment on today’s post (or any others) by Jan. 31/25, I’ll put you in a draw for a digital copy of my first book, 8 1/2 Steps to Writing Faster, Better. To enter, please scroll down to the “comments,” directly underneath the “related posts” links, below. You don’t have to join Disqus to post! Read my tutorial to learn how to post as a guest. (It’s easy!)

Viewing time: 4 mins. 30 secs. 

The Write Question is a weekly video podcast about writing that I started in 2017 and that ran, more or less weekly, until April 2022. This is a republication of issue #142, which discusses how to better organize your writing. The post first ran on May 29/20.

Transcript:

How do you better organize your writing? That’s the topic I’m addressing today in The Write Question. I’m Daphne Gray-Grant, the Publication Coach, still in pandemic mode. 

I have a question from Andy Maguire, a writer based in Moses Lake, Washington. Here’s what he’s asked by email…. 

“I have just pinpointed my main problem in writing. I get all kinds of ideas, references (non-fiction blog posts) and snippets of writing all typed out — I use OneNote — and then I struggle with how to go back and organize it all. One problem with just sitting down and writing without editing is that once I have enough draft text to start editing, I find that what I have written can be organized in several ways. Then I take an enormous amount of time to turn this into a readable form. This really slows my writing process. Do you have any suggestions?”

Thanks for your questions, Andy. I can see you’ve given this issue a lot of thought and congratulations on being so self-aware! 

But the problem is, you’re missing out two of the key steps of writing! You’re researching and you’re writing and you’re editing. But nowhere do you mention thinking or mindmapping. These two steps are at least as important as writing, maybe even more so. 

Your job as a writer is not just to assemble what other people have said. You also need to contribute to the conversation. And to be able to do that, you need to think. 

Let me make a couple of observations about thinking. Don’t do it at your desk. Desks are TERRIBLE places to think. This is because we’re sitting and when we sit, we don’t breathe nearly deeply enough. Our brains take up only two percent of our body weight but they use 20% of the oxygen we take in. They are oxygen hogs!! 

And when we’re sitting, we take wimpy shallow breaths, as though we were sipping our breath through a narrow straw. This lack of oxygen makes our brains a bit stupid — or at least more stupid than they would be with enough oxygen. 

So instead of sitting, go out for a walk. That’s the ideal time — and a fantastic activity — when you want to be thinking about what you’re going to write. 

If you don’t like walking, you can do any other form of exercise that appeals to you — running, cycling, whatever. Or whatever the pandemic will permit. And if you’re worried you might forget something, take your phone with you so you can dictate some notes. 

Apart from the need to get enough oxygen, there’s another reason to get away from your desk when you’re trying to think. This issue relates to letting your mind wander. To feel that important freedom, you can also consider doing anything that’s repetitive but that leaves your brain free to think, in an unpressured way. This might include gardening, vacuuming, dusting, chopping vegetables. Or even lying in a hammock, letting yourself sway in the sunshine.  

The next step is to mindmap. I’ve written about mindmapping a lot and done a number of videos as well, so I’m simply going to include a link to all that material in the show notes, below. Please take a look at it. Mindmapping will make a huge difference to you. 

Andy, I know you think the problem is that you’re not editing while you write. But in fact, the problem is you’re not thinking BEFORE you write. Nor, it seems, are you taking advantage of the many benefits that mindmapping can give you. 

Finally, let me wrap up with a quote from English writer A.A. Milne, author of Winnie the Pooh. “Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.”   

Andy, if you’re able to add thinking and mindmapping to your writing process, I think you’ll be much happier with the results. 

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If you’d like to learn more about how to make writing a much more rewarding process, check out my latest book Your Happy First Draft. I don’t sell it in bookstores or via Amazon. The only place to buy it is on my website, link on the screen below and in the show notes. 

Links 

Mindmapping posts and videos

Your Happy First Draft 

Reading time: About 4 minutes

Do you want to speed up your writing process? Who doesn’t? That’s precisely why you should dictate rather than write with your hands…

Back in the era of Mad Men, secretaries went into the offices of people like Don Draper (photo above) and took shorthand while the boss dictated. Now, however, you don’t need a secretary to dictate.

I am writing this column by speaking it aloud to my computer.

This process is called voice command or voice activation. You speak and your computer records your words — not as an audio file, but as a text file. You may have already used such a feature on your cell phone to record texts or emails to family, friends and colleagues. But the same process operates just as well for longer writing on your desktop or laptop computer.

I was reflecting on voice activation software recently because I have a client — a university professor — who is working with a very bright PhD student who has a hard time expressing himself in writing. “I bet he has a learning disability,” I said. My advice was to get him using voice activation software.

I first tried voice activation about six years ago at the urging of my doctor, who thought it might help my back problems. I have difficulty with my thoracic spine, and the theory was that reducing my typing would help reduce my pain. I went out and bought Dragon Dictate and gave it a try. Sadly, I found the number of errors the software made so infuriating that I couldn’t continue with it.

A few years later, I decided to try again. This time, however, I hired a consultant to help “train” me — along with the software. Smartest move I’ve ever made. In only an hour, the consultant had me operating Dragon like a pro and helped me understand why it hadn’t worked for me before. Let me share those two reasons with you:

• I had been trying to use an older version of Dragon. Once I updated it, everything worked much better.

• I had used Dragon with any software — Word documents, email, text files, websites. Now, I’ve learned that it works best inside of Word and can be finicky inside of email clients. As a result, I do all my dictating in Word, then I copy and paste it to wherever I want it to go.

The training wasn’t as onerous as I thought. My consultant gave me a handy-dandy “cheat sheet” with reminders about how to correct errors quickly, as I see them. It’s always better to direct the software to correct mistakes — rather than fixing them yourself — because that trains the software on how to better capture your voice and pronunciation.

What are the benefits of voice activation software?

I see three main ones:

1 – It helps me write a whole lot faster. I’ve been a pretty quick writer for the last 20 years, but I’m much, much faster with voice activation. I think this is because:

• I can speak a lot faster than I can write by hand or type. When I use a pencil and paper, I can produce only 40 words per minute. And although my typing speed is very respectable — about 85 to 90 words per minute — it’s a lot slower than my talking speed, which, like most people’s, is about 150 words per minute.

• Even though I’m diligent in trying not to edit while I write, my inner editor still wrestles for control. I use all sorts of tricks to keep my inner editor at bay, but speaking the words, rather than writing them, makes the biggest difference of all.

2 – Voice activation eases the strain on my back and wrists. Now I can write more quickly with less physical pain. If you find that it takes a full weekend for your back or wrists to recover from typing, voice activation would be an excellent tool for you to try.

3 – Voice activation allows me to walk more easily while I write. I have a treadmill desk, and I find it an enormous boost to my creativity and my productivity. Of course I can type while I walk (it’s not nearly as difficult as most people imagine), but it’s easier to use only my voice. And if you don’t have a treadmill desk, then — with voice activation and a wireless headset — you will be able to stroll around your office while you’re writing your next article or report.

And what are the downsides?

I also see three:

1 – The error rate is about 5%. The only difficulty is that many of these mistakes are really hard to see. This is because our brains have their own built-in autocorrect function. Typically, when we see a mistake in something we’ve written ourselves, our brains read the words they expect to see rather than what appears on the page. When using any voice activation software, it’s important to proofread extra carefully. See my tips for proofreading. Note one super-smart idea recommended by one of my readers: Have your computer read your writing back to you. That way, you’ll be able to hear any errors.

2 – If you’ve written on a computer for many years, expect it to take some time for you to become accustomed to dictating. When I first started dictating, I used to say that I “didn’t know where to put my brain” when I was writing. It felt as though I had more brain than I had things to do with it. I felt awkward and uncomfortable. It reminded me of the feeling I had — 40 years ago — when I switched from writing by hand to writing directly on a keyboard. In both cases it took me about three months to get used to it. (You may also have to learn to speak your punctuation — i.e., say “comma” when you want a comma and “period” when you want to end a sentence — but I’ve had no difficulty with that.)

3 – Dragon no longer works with the Mac. I used Dragon very happily for about five years. Then they stopped supporting the Mac. Nowadays, I use my cell phone’s dictate function and email it back to myself. A bit clunky, but it works. I know there is a dictation program native to the Mac, but the last time I tried it, I didn’t like it enough. I think I’ll get ready for another trial again soon.

If you’re a super-fast typist — and by that I mean faster than 70 words per minute — you may not need to try dictation. But consider it. In my Get It Done group, those who dictate are among the fastest writers I’ve ever seen. They regularly get up to speeds faster than 95 words per minute. Some even exceed 120 words per minute.

Do whatever you can to help yourself write faster. This will not only save you time, but it will also allow you to devote more time to editing — the step in the writing process that gives you the biggest payoff.

This post first appeared on my blog on July 10/18.

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Need some help developing a better writing routine? Learn more about my Get It Done program. There is turn-over each month, and priority will go to those who have applied first. You can go directly to the application form and you’ll hear back from me within 24 hours.

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My video podcast last week addressed how to identify your next writing steps. You can watch the video or read the transcript, and you can also subscribe to my YouTube channel.

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Have you ever tried voice activation software? We can all learn from each other, so please, share your thoughts with my readers and me in the “comments” section below. If you comment on today’s post (or any others) by Oct. 31/24, I’ll put you in a draw for a digital copy of my first book, 8 1/2 Steps to Writing Faster, Better. To enter, please scroll down to the comments, directly underneath the “related posts” links, below. Note that you don’t have to join Disqus to post. Read my tutorial to learn how to post as a guest. It’s easy!

Viewing time: 3 mins. 47 secs 

The Write Question is a weekly video podcast about writing that I started in 2017 and that ran, more or less weekly, until April 2022. This is a republication of issue #131, which discusses how to stop editing while you write. The post first ran on March 6/20.

Transcript:

Have you ever struggled with trying to stop editing while you write? That’s the topic I’m addressing today in The Write Question. I’m Daphne Gray-Grant, the Publication Coach. 

I have a question from Amy Rayburn, a writer based in Wilmington, Ohio. Here’s what she asked by email…. 

“I love your book and I totally know that I need to separate writing and editing. So why can’t I stop my 40-year-old habit of editing as I write? Help! 

Thanks for your question, Amy. I’m going to be stating the obvious when I say this, but any habit you’ve had for 40 years is going to be hard to break!  Give yourself some credit for trying and ample time to develop a new, more functional habit. 

There are actually three main reasons you should stop editing while you write. 

First, trying to do two jobs at once is not very efficient — it just makes everything take longer. 

Second, it’s going to make writing uncomfortable for you. And who wants an unhappy writer? 

Third, it’s going to make you a bad editor, because you won’t yet have enough distance or perspective from your work. If you edit later, you’ll edit better. 

So, how do you break a 40-year-old habit? I have one trick that works almost immediately for most people. Start writing in 3-point type. It will be too small for you to read and if you can’t read it, you won’t be able to edit it. While MS Word will not let you go below 5 pt by default, you can manually override that limit by typing a 3 in the box at the top of the screen. 

Of course, you could also type in 1 or 2 pt but I like the look of slightly larger “mouse type.” It will help you reassure yourself that you’re still capturing words — even if you can’t manage to read them. 

I also have one other tip that many people — especially academics — find useful. Develop the habit of writing yourself what I like to call “promissory notes.”

Whenever you discover something you need to look up — whether it’s a citation or even just the spelling of someone’s name — DON’T allow yourself to stop writing. 

Yeah, I know. You’re convinced this research will take you only 15 seconds. [Really? Have you ever spent less than 20 minutes on a Google search?]  Instead, write yourself a note in the document to remind you to check this fact later. When you write, write. Do everything else later. But write yourself a reminder to do it. 

Amy, several years ago I wrote a blog post about how to break this pesky habit. It contains seven tips and I encourage you to read them to see if anything else might help you. Link below.   

Finally, let me wrap up with a quote from the late American writer Dominick Dunne. “Even if you write it wrong, write and finish your first draft. Only then, when you have a flawed whole, do you know what you have to fix.”  

Amy, I want you to know it will be HARD work for you to stop editing while you write.  But it will be so  worthwhile. I was in my mid-40s when I did it and I more than doubled my writing speed. I’ve worked with clients who have tripled theirs. 

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If you’d like to learn more about how to break the habit of editing while you write, I address it in chapter 9 of my latest book, Your Happy First Draft. The only place to buy it is on my website, link below.  

Links  

7 ways to stop editing while you write 

Your Happy First Draft 

Reading time: About 3 minutes

There comes a time when you should stop reading, start writing. To figure out if this advice applies to you, calculate how many writing books you have on your shelves…

How many books on writing do you own?

How much time do you spend thinking about writing?

Now, here’s the most important question: how much time do you spend writing every day?

I ask this series of questions because there’s often a disconnect between how much people say they care about writing and how much writing they do.

Often, people who say they care about writing read many writing books and then spend little or no time putting words on the page.

But books about writing are a dime a dozen. You could easily read a writing book each week for a year and never write a word. If this description applies to you, consider the downsides of reading too many books about writing:

Reading alone does nothing for you. To improve your writing, you need to write. Writing is just like everything else. If you read about running, that doesn’t make you a better runner. If you read about cabinetmaking, that doesn’t make you a better cabinetmaker. If you read about baking cupcakes, that doesn’t make you a better cupcake baker. Your reading about these tasks might give you ideas for how to do them better, but you won’t see any improvement until you engage in the actual doing.

Improvement depends more on new habits than on new ideas. Sure, books can give you ideas. But those ideas aren’t the least bit useful to you until you transform them into habits. Here are a couple of habits I help my clients achieve:

• Writing a little every day rather than a lot irregularly. By adopting the slow-and-steady approach, they are far more likely to achieve measurable results.
• Aiming for a sentence-length average that’s relatively short: somewhere between 14 and 18 words. This average length is more pleasing for readers and also makes writing easier.

Writing takes time. Books often make us feel as though we can change ourselves quickly and painlessly without a lot of effort. But the job of improving your writing is not something you can do in a single day. If you want to become a better writer, you need to be in it for the long haul. Just as you don’t become an architect overnight or an Olympic athlete in a day, you also don’t become an excellent writer immediately.

Reading often gives us a false sense of accomplishment. If we read a book, we feel great about finishing it. That was work, right? We did it! But if the point of reading a book was to improve our writing, we have accomplished nothing meaningful until we’ve done some writing.

I love reading — mainly literary novels and interesting non-fiction, especially memoir — and I firmly believe my reading habit helps my writing. But there’s little value to reading books about writing unless we’re actually writing every day. Instead of mindlessly reading books about writing, here’s what I suggest you do:

Identify the number of minutes (not hours!) you can devote to writing each day (and by that, I mean five days a week — we all deserve weekends off). Then pick the time and place where you’re going to write. In advance, figure out the obstacles that might appear in your path. Do you have children who need a lot of attention? Do you have a job that exhausts you? Do you operate on the principle that writing is not worthwhile unless you can devote at least 60 minutes to it?

There are ways to deal with each of these issues. For children, write before they get up, or write after they’ve gone to bed. And if that doesn’t work, consider hiring a babysitter. If it’s your job that gets in the way, write before you leave for work, when you’re fresh and energetic.

Most of all, lose the damaging notion that you must clear 60 minutes (or more!) in your schedule before writing. You can write in dribs and drabs — 10 minutes here, 15 minutes there.

The complicated, time-consuming part of the writing life is editing — not writing — but by the time you have a first draft of your text, you’re far more likely to feel enthusiastic and committed. By that point, it will be easier for you to clear your schedule for the time you need.

Don’t just read about writing. Actually do it.

An earlier version of this post first appeared on my blog on Aug. 14/18.

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Need some help developing a better, more sustainable writing or editing routine? Learn about my three-month accountability program called Get It Done. There is turn-over each month, and priority will go to those who have applied first. You can go directly to the application form and you’ll hear back from me within 24 hours.

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My video podcast last week considered the best writing software available in the marketplace. Go here to see the video or read the transcript, and you can also subscribe to my YouTube channel. 

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How many books about writing have you read? We can all learn from each other, so please, share your thoughts with my readers and me in the “comments” section below. If you comment on today’s post (or any others) by Sept. 30/24, I’ll put you in a draw for a digital copy of my first book, 8 1/2 Steps to Writing Faster, Better. To enter, please scroll down to the comments, directly underneath the “related posts” links, below. Note that you don’t have to join Disqus to post. See here to learn how to post as a guest. It’s easy!

Reading time: Just over 5 minutes

When I need an immediate boost, I have a list of 21 habits or tricks I can employ to get out of the writing doldrums… 

I live in a city with many fine attributes: the weather is mild, the mountains are beautiful, the beaches spectacular. But for every good point, there are also bad ones. That mild weather often translates into torrential rain and seemingly endless grey skies. (We once had a house-guest from Korea staying with us for the month of February. She didn’t believe Vancouver actually had mountains because the city was so socked in for 28 days, she never had a glimpse of them.)

When life drags down my spirits — particularly my writing spirits — and I need an immediate boost, I know better than to trust “chance” to give it to me. Here are 21 ways I get out of the doldrums and persuade myself to start writing again.

1. Clean my desk: Organizing or cleaning something always makes me feel better. My desk is a welcome target because I end up staring at it when I’m writing, and a clean, well-organized surface always makes me feel cheered and hopeful. But other areas work as well. Some months ago, I thinned and organized my (shamefully big) collection of earrings. I feel a little burst of pleasure every time I look at my now well-organized earrings.
2. Go for a walk: I walk a lot, not least at my treadmill desk, where I also write. But if I’m feeling tired or down, I know that a walk outside — to the bank or grocery store — will give me a jolt of energy.
3. Add a book I want to read to my Evernote list: I love reading, and sometimes even the anticipation of reading is enough to buoy me up. Whenever I see a positive review of a book, I clip it to my Evernote file so I have a list of books always ready for future reading.
4. Read an article: I don’t allow myself to read novels when I’m supposed to be working, but if I’m stalled on a piece of writing or feeling totally uninspired, a brief, well-written article from the New York Times (I have a subscription on my phone) or a “Talk of the Town” piece in the New Yorker gives me a model of fine writing and a much-needed boost.
5. Do something for my husband: My husband is a kind, deeply supportive man who was a 100%-involved parent when our kids were young. He has changed my life in so many positive ways. If I can do something for him — whether it’s making dinner or picking up a book at the library for him — it makes me feel great.
6. Give myself a tick mark: Every time I finish something on my list, I feel proud and accomplished — even if the task is small. Every day I have a long list of tasks that will take me five minutes or fewer to do. Putting a tick mark beside each one I’ve finished always gives me a jolt of adrenaline.
7. Eat a handful of almonds or a tablespoon of peanut butter on a spoon: These high-protein, high-fat snacks work much better than carbs for giving me reliable energy.
8. Listen to a piece of peppy music: My son, who holds a music degree and has sophisticated taste in music, will roll his eyes to learn that I enjoy listening to Abba when I need a shot of energy. In case it helps, Duncan, I’ll also listen to musical theatre pieces like Oklahoma, or an energetic opera piece like “Ride of the Valkyries.”
9. Exhale, then take a deep breath: As someone with writing apnea (I now see myself as a person in recovery), I know that our brains require a great deal of oxygen to work. Spending a couple of minutes paying extra attention to my breathing helps my brain get the steady supply of O₂ that it needs.
10. Drink a cup of coffee: I allow myself one big cup of coffee a day. It’s relatively low-caffeine Kona coffee from Hawaii (I special order it). All coffee drinkers need to know that every brand has different amounts of caffeine. For example, a Starbuck’s instant contains 16.9 mg per ounce while a Tim Horton’s brew has 13.5. You can see it all spelled out in the Complete Caffeine Database, accessible here.
11. Have a glass of plain soda water with ice: I love my SodaStream, which allows me to “make” my own carbonated water without having to buy plastic bottles. (I don’t find the plain soda needs extra flavour, but if you prefer more taste, you can add a splash of juice.) Even better, the SodaStream — in combination with some temporary caffeine — helped me get Diet Coke out of my life. I used to drink a can of Diet Coke every day and couldn’t seem to break the habit despite my best efforts. When someone suggested the problem might be the caffeine (each 12 oz can contains 47 milligrams), I decided to drink plain soda instead and dose myself with caffeine pills. (I had to use a pill cutter to get the right amount.) In this way, I reduced the caffeine a little every day, and, over a couple of weeks, wrestled myself free from Diet Coke. Yahoo!
12. Roll on a ball: I have chronic back pain, which often becomes much worse by mid-afternoon. I take a break to roll on a ball, which is fun and relaxing and immediately makes my back feel better.
13. Bend forward in my chair for 30 seconds: This not only helps relax my back, but it also gets the blood flowing to my head, which helps me think better and which makes me feel more energetic.
14. Turn on more lights: I’m sensitive enough to grey skies that I have a SAD light I can turn on for 30 minutes a day in the winter. But you don’t need a special light to give yourself more wattage. When you need a boost, turn on all the lights in the area where you’re working. The brighter light will help improve your mood.
15. Block my time every day: I never just dive into work without making a plan. Instead, I strategize my day, which makes me feel happier, better organized and more energized. This time-blocking system allows me to do my most important tasks first, leaving the less important ones to fall on the floor if I run out of time.
16. Stretch: Stretching my arms above my head and bending from side to side helps me to relax and feel more connected with my body, which is a welcome reminder for those of us who work in our heads.
17. Laugh: I have certain friends who always make me laugh, but if I can’t talk to them, I satisfy myself by watching an episode of Randy Rainbow skewering Donald Trump. Rainbow is hilarious, and I love the Broadway showtunes he rewrites so amusingly.
18. Pay attention to the temperature: We tend to think that cold “wakes us up,” but, in fact, cold causes our body temperature to drop, which tells us it’s time to sleep. I like to put on a pair of extra fuzzy socks when my feet get cold, and I always have a sweater waiting for me on the back of my chair.
19. Check my posture: As someone who walks more than the average person, I try to be conscious of how I hold my body in space. The actions we do every day are far more important than those we do irregularly (i.e., exercising three times a week). When walking, I try to keep my shoulders down, my knees soft and my weight in my heels. When in a chair, I try to sit at the front edge of my sitting bones to maintain my natural arch. Having good posture gives me more energy and reduces my back pain.
20. Do a French lesson: Like many Canadians, I studied a lot of French in high school. But after 40 years with almost no practice, I lost it. Recently, I’ve been doing at least one Duolingo French lesson every day. The software is free. The lessons are fast and effective and they’re like games. I get a jolt of energy from my daily lesson and will sneak in another one when I want a “productive” break from work.
21. Do the New York Times mini-crossword: Although I’m a writer, I have never enjoyed Scrabble or crossword puzzles. Go figure. I get far more pleasure from just reading. That said, there’s a wonderful mini-crossword published by the New York Times that I now do just about every day. On a good day, I can complete it in less than a minute. On a bad day, it might take me seven or eight. But it’s always fun, and I like the way it stretches my brain.

We’re all unique individuals, so we’ll each have our own activities that help us feel happier, more energetic and more like writing. Take the time to create your own list of what works for you. Then, USE that list to help give yourself the boosts you need.

An earlier version of this post first appeared on my blog on Jan. 15/19.

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Need some help developing a better writing routine? Learn more about my Get It Done program. There is turn-over each month, and priority will go to those who have applied first. You can go directly to the application form and you’ll hear back from me within 24 hours.

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My video podcast last week addressed how to deal with conflicting writing advice. Go here to see the video or read the transcript, and you can also subscribe to my YouTube channel.

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How do you get yourself out of the writing doldrums? We can all learn from each other, so please, share your thoughts with my readers and me in the “comments” section below. If you comment on today’s post (or any others) by Aug. 31/24, I’ll put you in a draw for a digital copy of my first book, 8 1/2 Steps to Writing Faster, Better. To enter, please scroll down to the comments, directly underneath the “related posts” links, below. Note that you don’t have to join Disqus to post. See here to learn how to post as a guest. It’s easy!

Reading time: About 3 minutes

If writing always feels like the LAST thing you want to do, it may be time to change your attitude about writing. Here’s how to do that….  

I used a writing trick to help me with the laundry recently.

Every Saturday morning, I think about putting on my laundry. But do I do that? Almost never.

Instead, I eat a leisurely breakfast. I read the newspaper and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and continue reading my current book. I lie on the couch reading and thinking — at the back of my mind — “I really should get started on the laundry now.” But because I don’t feel like it, I usually don’t.

Sometimes, I even engage in the mental game I used to play when I was a university student. It goes like this:

• I’ll start [dreaded task] at 11 am.
• No, I’ll start it at 11:30.
• No, I’ll start it at noon.
• No, I’ll start at 12:30 pm. Etc. etc. etc.

This kind of procrastination never makes me feel very good, yet, on the surface, it feels less painful than doing the dreaded task.

But what’s the problem with laundry? Whenever I do it, I’m always amazed by how easy it is. After all, my responsibility doesn’t involve carrying heavy clothing to an icy river and then beating it with rocks. Instead, it just requires me to take a laundry basket down two flights of stairs to our fully finished basement and our lovely energy-efficient washing machine. I don’t even need to get my hands wet!

Sorting lights and darks takes less than five minutes. Then all I have to do is shove the clothing into the washer, add the soap and turn a dial. What’s hard about that? Absolutely nothing! But here’s the interesting part of the deal: I already knew laundry was easy. I’d created a monster in my mind, based on old information.

My attitude came from the days when my mother had a mangle washer that we had to run our clothes through. (My left index finger lost its tip to that washer when I was an inquisitive four-year-old.) Then I remember when the washer died, and we couldn’t afford a new one. As a result, we had to haul our clothing — for a family of seven — to a laundromat. Now that was real work! And extra boring, to boot.

But today, the laundry monster no longer exists in my house. So this week, instead of saying to myself, “How horrible that I have to do the boring job of laundry right now,” I said, “How lucky that I get to do laundry so easily right now. Fifty years ago, it was so much harder. I LOVE doing laundry.” (Even though that last bit was a white lie.) The laundry time flew by, and my day was much easier to manage when I got the work out of the way in the morning.

The key issue for me was articulating my mindset. Instead of thinking vaguely that I didn’t feel like doing laundry, I thought about the issue and made my attitude match the reality.

You can do the same with your writing. Instead of delaying and procrastinating, figure out WHY you’re holding yourself back. Is it because you hated writing when you were in high school? (And do any of your current clients/bosses/supervisors actually remind you of that high school teacher?) Do you allow yourself to be distracted by email or Facebook while you’re trying to write? (This only makes writing more stressful, you know.) Do you mistakenly feel that you need to have a perfect first draft (instead of a crappy first draft that you can later edit into something much better)? 

Evaluate your thinking so you can get rid of any out-of-date messages you’re giving yourself. Once you’ve done that, say “I LOVE writing,” before you do it. (Say it even if you feel it isn’t true.) This little trick works for five reasons:

1. Even hated tasks are never as bad as we fear.
2. Life is always better if we have a positive attitude.
3. Loving a task creates a self-sustaining positive cycle.
4. Negative thinking narrows your focus while positive thinking expands it.
5. Saying we LOVE doing something acknowledges the greater truth that it’s better than many other tasks we could be stuck doing.

You can read more detail about these ideas here.

I work with many troubled and frustrated writers, and all of them benefit from getting their writing done shortly after waking up (waking at whatever time works best for them — not necessarily 5 am!). This is not because there is any “magic” associated with mornings. Instead, it’s a result of building a positive, take-charge habit and just getting the work done.

This attitude works for laundry. And it works for writing, too.

An earlier version of this post first appeared on my blog on Feb. 5/19.

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My video podcast last week addressed how to work on a newsletter or blog at the same time as writing a book. Go here to see the video or read the transcript, and you can also subscribe to my YouTube channel. 

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Have you been able to change your attitude about writing? How did you do it? We can all learn from each other, so please, share your thoughts with my readers and me in the “comments” section, below. And congratulations to Linda, the winner of this month’s book prize, for a comment on my July 23/24 blog. (Please send me your email address, Linda!) If you comment on today’s post (or any others) by Aug. 31/24, I’ll put you in a draw for a digital copy of my first book, 8 1/2 Steps to Writing Faster, Better. To leave your own comment, please scroll down to the section directly underneath the “related posts” links, below. Note that you don’t have to join the commenting software to post. See here to learn how to post as a guest. It’s easy!

Reading time: About 4 minutes

Do you know how to finish the writing you start? Being a good finisher is an entirely separate task from being a good writer…

I recently returned from a glorious two-week holiday on British Columbia’s Salt Spring Island.

We’ve been going to the same cottage (pictured here) for about 10 years, and the minute I walk in the door, I can feel both my shoulders and my blood pressure drop. All we did for two weeks was eat, read and swim. Oh, and tour a nearby lavender farm and look at the marvellous view!

Of course, extracting myself from my office for two weeks was a bit of an ordeal, because I had so many projects to wrap up before I could go. Still, I have a strong need for completion, so I’m pretty good at finishing projects I’ve started.

I was lucky to be born with plenty of stick-to-it-ive-ness, a trait my parents also encouraged. But if you weren’t so lucky in the genetic lottery, and you don’t know how to finish writing, I can suggest some ways to frame the process so you have better odds of success:

1-Examine your previous patterns

Make a list of every past unfinished writing project you can remember. List why you started those projects and when and why you stopped. Can you determine any common themes? Being aware of your habits will help you better arm yourself against them in the future.

2-Differentiate between experiments and commitments

When researching this column, I discovered an intriguing proposal from blogger Scott Young. He suggests we need to differentiate between tasks we really want to finish and those we are just experimenting with. For example, we don’t need to finish every book we start reading. Thus, you can view starting a book as an “experiment.” But there is also great merit in building the habit of being a “finisher.” The message of Young’s column: Be mindful about what you put in the “finishing” category. And if you put it there, do it.

3-Consider the full cost

Sometimes we don’t finish projects because we haven’t fully prepared ourselves for them. And, frequently, we accept goals that are simply too BIG for us. If you are going to commit to a project, make sure you truly understand it first. Talk to others who have undertaken similar goals and learn what they discovered while doing it. Most of all, don’t let “stretch” goals turn you into a pretzel. Be ultra-realistic as you plan for your project. Even if you’re unhappy with the idea that it might take you 10 times longer than you want, isn’t it better to be aware of this timeline than to be surprised by (and disappointed by) it later?

4-Don’t think too BIG

With a big project, it’s all too easy to feel overwhelmed about the size of it. That book you want to write needs to be 80,000 words. ACK! How can anyone ever write so many words? Don’t think about this right now. Instead, just get started. Focus on the small steps you need to take every day. Do those and let the big goal take care of itself.

5-Set exceptionally small daily goals

I’ve noticed that many of my clients overwhelm themselves with lofty, onerous goals — thinking that this strategy will help them become more accomplished. Instead, the reverse is true. The bigger the project, the smaller the goals need to be. I like what psychologist Martha Beck has to say about this idea: “To train an animal,” she writes, “you give high levels of reinforcement for very small moves. To train a killer whale to jump out of the water, you start by rewarding it just for coming to the surface. If it won’t come all the way to the surface, you reward it for advancing four or five feet.” (You can read her entire piece here.)

6-Find the pleasure in the work

Work will ALWAYS take longer than you expect. And if you focus on the endpoint, you’re likely to become tired and worn out. Instead, if you can remind yourself of WHY you’re doing this piece of writing and create some pleasure while you’re doing it, you’ll better prepare yourself for dealing with the inevitable frustrations of any large project.

7-Track your progress

Many people who don’t finish projects fail mainly because they have no accountability to anyone else. If you’re looking for accountability, my Get It Done program might be the right choice for you. Or you can also track your own writing. I call tracking a “secret sauce,” and you can learn how to use it here.

8-Stop ruminating

Sure, things will go wrong while you’re writing. That’s just the nature of the beast. But if you focus only on your failures, you’re going to hurt your chances of finishing. Instead of obsessing over what’s gone wrong, focus on what’s gone right. Celebrate your successes — even the small ones. This will not only boost your creativity, but it will also improve your odds of finishing. (I suggest you generate a daily list of one to three things you’re happy with in your project.)

9-Change the story you tell about yourself

Do you describe yourself as a slacker or a procrastinator or a perfectionist? Stop it! Those kinds of labels are not only not helping you, they’re also explicitly hurting. By attaching a negative label to yourself, you’re increasing the odds of it being true. Instead, tell yourself that you’re diligent and hard-working and successful. Even if those statements feel like a lie, they will work on your brain, gradually helping to transform you into someone who is more accomplished.

The only obstacle to finishing what you start is YOU.

Your fears.

Your anxieties.

Your inability to plan.

Don’t let these issues hold you back. Decide you’re going to be a finisher.

An earlier version of this post first appeared on my blog on Jan. 29/19. 

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My video podcast last week addressed how to set up a literary café. Go here to see the video or read the transcript, and you can also subscribe to my YouTube channel.

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Need some help developing a better, more sustainable writing or editing routine? Learn about my three-month accountability program called Get It Done. There is turn-over each month, and priority will go to those who have applied first. You can go directly to the application form and you’ll hear back from me within 24 hours.

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Do you know how to finish big writing projects? What tricks do you use? We can all learn from each other, so please, share your thoughts with my readers and me in the “comments” section below. If you comment on today’s post (or any others) by July 31/24, I’ll put you in a draw for a digital copy of my first book, 8 1/2 Steps to Writing Faster, Better. To enter, please scroll down to the comments, directly underneath the “related posts” links, below. Note that you don’t have to join Disqus to post. See here to learn how to post as a guest. It’s easy!