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As a parent with a full-time job, I usually have a limited amount of time to write each day. What are some tricks I can try to reach a specific word count in a specific time (e.g. 500 words in an hour). I know I've seen some things like this posted on NaNoWriMo forums, but it seems like those folks tend to offer ideas that increase word count at the expense of quality, like writing out your character's grocery list or having characters mishear one another, requiring them to repeat themselves. |
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While I don't think those NanoWriMo tricks are good -- just trying to increase word counts -- I think there is something you can take away from NaNoWriMo: just write. Don't stop to edit yourself. Sit down with a kitchen timer, or the timer on your iPhone and set it for say, 20 minutes. Start writing and don't stop until that timer dings. Will this first draft be Pulitzer Prize material? Probably not. But good writing comes from rewriting anyway. Getting that first draft down is half of that battle. |
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Your best bet is going to be to try and improve your typing speed. The fast you can type, the more you can write in a short amount of time. Also, you can try carrying a small notebook and pen with you during the day. Then you can write a bit during small bouts of free time - waiting in line at the grocery store, stuck in traffic, etc. Another way to get more "written" might be to carry a voice recorder or a voice recording app on a smart phone and dictate writing when your hands are busy and transcribe the recordings in your free time. |
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Have you tried tracking your progress? Setting up a spreadsheet that graphs how many words you do each day, shows you averages, etc.? It's an awesome way to motivate yourself, as you see those numbers and totals going up. |
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One of the things I had to do was to start scheduling time to write. It sounds a bit extreme, but it really started to work for me. My problem was figuring when I could realistically make time to write. I ended up getting up an hour earlier each day and using that time. If I wasn't able to do that, then I would try to add an hour at night after everyone else went to bed. Make a date with yourself, and eventually you'll find that you don't want to miss those dates! |
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One of the tools that I have used for NaNoWriMo is Write or Die. Read about it here. It motivates you to keep writing at a steady pace by turning red, playing an obnoxious noise, or even starting to delete your words if you stop writing for a certain amount of time. |
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