How I Write New Content So Quickly
By: Laura Winter
Tags: Writers On Writing, Writer, Creativity, Writing Tips, Productivity

How I Write New Content So Quickly

From fiction novels to writing articles, plus managing my publishing business

Photo by James Tarbotton on Unsplash

You might have noticed above that I called my self-publishing journey a business. That’s because I view my writing work as a business — I proudly wear the authorpreneur label.

It’s that mindset that has given me the motivation and tenacity to attack my writing projects and get things done. I’ve been a full time authorpreneur for three months now, publishing six titles, setting two more on pre-order, and finishing two books that will be announced soon. I also have NaNoWriMo to plan for and another two additional books to finish before the end of the year.

I’ve been asked on so many occasions how I’m able to write new content so quickly, maintain balance, and keep delivering on deadlines. Here’s how I keep it all in order and continue writing without burning out.

Organize and plan

None of this happens without a plan of attack. I spent an entire weekend planning out a rapid release, ten book series (in fairness, the idea was already generated but it needed purpose and structure). Within that plan, I determined when I’d ideally like to publish the first book, what it would take to get there, what I needed to have done and when, and how many books I needed under my belt before that first book was released.

I know how I work so I was able to set a schedule using my Passion Planner (affl) with all of my deadlines in order. I know which days I need to have edits done, covers designed, and books written. Then I worked backwards and determined when I needed to start projects to meet those deadlines. Finally, I set those tasks in my daily planner to make sure I was meeting my priorities. Those tasks are things I know I can complete that day and within the right timeframe.

While I have everything set in my planner, I do allow flexibility. If I finish a task early, I get to work on the next deadline so I can give myself room to breathe. I can take a quick break and get back to the priorities. If it takes me a little longer, I know that I can be forgiving but also cut other parts of my day to make room for the overflow.

Know my productivity habits

When organizing and planning my work, I look at my productivity habits. Nonfiction writing is “easier” for me and can be done when there are more distractions. I can always come back to an article after a short break and not break a sweat. Fiction, on the other hand, is a little tougher for me. I like getting into flow, and I work best without interruptions. So, I schedule my nonfiction writing for the weekends, when there are a lot of things going on, and save my fiction writing for the weekday mornings when I’m ready to go. Afternoons and weekends are for editing and administrative work, things where I can get lost in a rabbit hole if I’m not careful.

That’s not to say I can’t do these things during other times, but I know I work best if I can protect my boundaries.

Prepare for my writing

As a notorious pantser, planning my writing has never come easily. However, once I started planning what my next chapter was going to look like, or even my next book, I was able to sit down and start writing a lot faster than before.

I prepare for my writing by not only thinking of scenes beforehand, I sometimes write little bullets for major points in the chapter I’m going to work on. It helps me know exactly how I’m getting from point A to point B and cover all the important notes.

Nonfiction is much easier because I have a running list of headline ideas and subsections. When I don’t have to waste time looking up those ideas, I can just sit down and use my notes for reference.

Write now, add later

Specifically in my fiction work, my first drafts are a little short on words. That’s because I spend my first draft getting the main stuff out. I make sure I include all the dialogue I want and hit on the important notes. I skimp on details, description, and even dialogue tags and movement throughout the scene just so I can make sure I get all the information out. Then, in the second draft, I’ll add over 500 words (at the minimum) with just dialogue and general movements. On the next pass, I’ll add description and thought progression.

This type of method helps me formalize the scene in my mind but it also helps me get the first draft done faster. Edits are much easier, and little additions like that don’t require a lot of effort. It’s the first draft that takes the most out of me so I get that done and save the extra stuff for the next round.

Cut wasted time and distractions

I could spend so much time just refreshing my feeds, checking preorder details, and looking up things to read, but I know that’s a slippery slope. Three hours later and I’ve lost my most productive time to absolutely nothing of value. So, I cut my wasted time by only giving myself certain time frames to check those details. I won’t allow myself to check newsletter or book stats until lunch, and only for fifteen minutes max. I refuse to open Instagram or other social sites until after my first writing session of the morning (I have restrictions on the apps using my phone settings). I streamline my morning and evening routine to improve my writing time. All of these things keep me focused on the important stuff.

I even plan ahead. On days where I’m not feeling the writing, I’ll load up on the scheduled posts and design the covers or Amazon listings of future books. It helps me stay productive even when I don’t feel like I can add to the word count. Crossing off those tasks now makes my future self have to work the administrative stuff a little less.

I also cut distractions by protecting my time. I know that from 9AM until lunchtime I’m writing so I turn off social media notifications during that time. I’ll put my phone elsewhere and get to work. Then, when I break, I can catch up on the things I’m missing, text an update to my accountabilibuddies, and then get back to work.

View it as a business

Yes, writing was my hobby. Now, it is my passion. I’ve cultivated a life and a passion that I adore with every fiber of my being — even the hard stuff. Even though I love it and it’s so much fun, it’s also a business. That mindset — the authorpreneurial spirit I mentioned earlier — is what keeps me focused. Though I do make money and I’ve turned it into a business, I’ve never lost focus on the joy of writing what I love and doing what I am passionate about. I find every piece of this journey enjoyable, and that’s how I know I’m in the right business.

I was meant to be a writer and I’ll keep doing this for as long as I can.