Think about your book. Think about your passion, even when you are not doing it. But, specifically if you are a writer, think about your book. Often. Any time you are not intellectually needed for other things.
Don’t ignore friends, children, loved ones, work, etc. Life must go on. The rest of the time, consider considering your book. Here is why.
If I write for an hour, the minutes of that hour are not all created equally. For the first 15-20 minutes, I have a ramp up time. I reread some of what I wrote last time, I remember the mood and tone I am trying to set. I review notes I left for myself. The day of work fades behind me, or perhaps it is blocked out in front of me, looming. I take time to bring myself back to the imaginary world I am creating. I write, perhaps a few words here and there. I get a few good sentences together, then a paragraph spills out easily.
The coasting zone has arrived. Nobody is around, I have a YouTube video on of rushing water, wind or a fireplace for white noise, and I am in the writing zone. I can stay there for about 35-45 minutes. A slow fade falls over my fingers. They move less quickly. The zone is departing in my review mirror… There is always next time.
If I spend a few minutes before I get started thinking about my book or my story during the day, or during the minutes leading up to the writing session, I reduce my buy in time. I am ready to reach that flow zone five to ten minutes faster and that can mean increased quality or increased quantity of what I write today. Connections get made I would not have thought of otherwise, sometimes leading to entire chapters or chapter edits, because I am always working on it, at least a little.
The reality is nobody else can write your book for you, the way you would write it. But to do that the time needs to be put into the task. Time in front of the computer can be very precious though, and hard to come by, so earn more of it by thinking about your work ahead of time, and throughout your day. Your writing self will be thankful you did.
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