-Photo by: bulletproofbra
DISCLAIMER: While I wish there was a secret to being able to write all day long without any risk of losing your job — sadly, my title is only meant to represent the idea of keeping the writing spirit going all day long versus putting pen to paper. Is it shameless click-bait? Perhaps. Is the message I wish to provide powerful? Only you can decide!
As a part-time writer (ie someone who can’t pay the bills by writing alone), I feel I often lack the time needed to get into a writer’s frame of mind, to build on my stories, or even think about writing at all. Ignoring all the excuses we use to procrastinate (eg full-time jobs), one thing most of us can do is keep a “writer’s mind” throughout our busy day and use this mindset to be productive.
So what is a “writer’s mind” and how do you get one?
Hit up the Interwebs for “writer’s mind” and you’ll find all sorts of great articles as to how folks define a writer’s mind. For me, a writer’s mind is simply:
Our creativity.
What ever tools, habits, or strategies we concoct to get words on paper are meaningless if we don’t include the creative elements from our minds. Blatantly obvious statement, yes. But sometimes writers focus too much on getting into the “mode of writing” instead of focusing on the creative elements of story telling, or, at least, ruminating on how to make their writing better.
Now, some writers are blessed with having full and constant access to their creative minds at all times (though, they tend to wear straight jackets). But from my experience, most others need to work at it. As eluded to earlier, some feel they need the perfect environment or situation (eg a coffee shop or remote cabin) in order to reach into their creative depths, to draw out ideas and splash them onto a blank page.
In my opinion, our creative minds are always with us, so why not be like the crazy types and keep tapping into our creative sides throughout the day? And while we are at it, write down the musings as they come up.
No, I am not advocating that you stop flipping the widgets at work and spend hours writing out the next chapter in your story.
However, when you find a minute to spare — whether its a bathroom break, time between meetings, lunch, etc — use that time to jot down the ideas you’ve been brewing throughout the day. It can be anything to help your writing:
- New story ideas
- Character traits
- Hooks or cliffhangers
- World building
- Plot devices
- etc — the list is endless!
Keep a notepad (or your favorite note taking app) handy and start writing — and do it all day long. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to use the whole day to your advantage!
And there you have it — a simple, yet effective way to stay productive all day long. I hope this information helps you in some way. If you have any thoughts or ideas to share, please leave a comment.
If you stuck with the article this long and still have some life left in you, please take a moment to swing by my author’s website or Facebook page and leave a comment. I’d appreciate the visit!
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