The mindmapping helps but the time between bursts, I find, is largely irrelevant. For me, the key is focusing on the last sentence I wrote and then going from there.

Thanks. I will try the writing bursts. Sounds like your initial mindmapping helps as well as the fact that you don’t let too much time go by between bursts, so the material stays fresh in your mind.

I find that if I follow from the last sentence (the one I wrote in my previous writing burst) I have no difficulty with transitions.

Yes. Maybe I am over-thinking this. Did the writing chunks from your multiple writing bursts flow together naturally or did you work extra hard on the transitions during editing?

Good question, Mary Lu! I think anyone who wants to pursue a long-term writing project (such as a book) needs to devote a set amount of time to it, five days per week. (No more than 1 hour; no less than 5 minutes.) When I talk about squeezing in short bursts of writing, I’m referring to the kind of day-to-day writing many of us need to do for our jobs. For example, I had to write a 400-word piece for a client yesterday. I did it in a couple of short bursts, rather than one sustained chunk. But for my book, I devote 30 minutes per day. Does that make sense?

“What you want is momentum… when the car is kicked into gear on the open highway, then you want to drive it as long as you can. Don’t stop if you can help it.”

If you stop and start a lot, don’t you end up with a lot of short, choppy bits of text that may not flow together so well? Thanks so much.

So glad to hear it, Eva.

So glad you enjoyed it!