Guest Post by Sarah Rexman

How to Have a Productive Writing Summer!

Guest Post by Sarah Rexman

Get Your Writing Flowing

One of the most difficult aspects of becoming and staying a writer is finding a way to produce writing on a consistent basis. There are many different ideas and theories about mastering the craft of writing, but the one thing that ones through them is the need to write consistently. In On Writing, Stephen King advises, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” If you are struggling to fit writing into your everyday schedule or if you do not feel that you are making enough progress on your current project you may want to pump up the amount of time you devote to your writing each day.

Schedule Your Writing Time 

Some people say that you should schedule the same block of time to write each day. It gets your body and mind ready to write and it makes it easier to get the words down on paper, because you have conditioned your mind and body to respond to be creative at the same time every day. However, that may not work for some people, who do not have a consistent schedule or who may work odd hours. It doesn’t matter if you set aside the same chunk of time each day or if you schedule your writing at a different time each day of the week as long as your are consistently scheduling it and spending time writing. Decide how long you want to write each day or how many hours you want to log a week and stick to it.

Write During Your Writing Time 

It is also important to remove all distractions when you are writing. If you write on your laptop, it is so easy to get on your Internet browser and start looking for details on the sword you need for your next plot point, or to quickly check in at the writer’s forum you visit to get inspiration and feedback. Or you may need to tweak your writing playlist just a little bit so that it better fits the mood of your chapter - you get the basic idea. Once you sit down to write, make sure that you actually write. Type words out and do what you have to in order to avoid distractions. Turn your wireless Internet off. Go somewhere without Internet access or set up a program that won’t let you log back on for a set amount of time. If you can eliminate your distractions you will be able to focus and get your story out on paper.

Avoid Interruptions 

This may be the most difficult aspect of all for many writers. You can turn off your cell phone, but you cannot stop family, friends or roommates from interrupting you. You will need to work to “train” your family and friends not to bother you when you are writing. My college creative writing instructor had a signal worked out with her children. If the office door was shut, they were not to enter unless someone was actually dying. They were old enough to fend for themselves at that point. If you have young children you may be writing around nap and bed times. Set up a signal for your family and then stick to it. Don’t answer the phone, or the door when you are writing. Getting the time in is worth the extra effort.


Bio: Sarah Rexman is the main researcher and writer for bedbugs.org. Her most recent accomplishment includes graduating from Florida State, with a degree in environmental science. Her current focus for the site about bed bugs which includes descriptions and bed bug pictures.