Beat distraction: writing productivity tactics to try when you can’t concentrate
Distraction is a problem at the best of times. Writers can struggle to focus when there's so much competing for our attention. Now, in an uncertain environment, when people are anxious, juggling new responsibilities and ever-changing priorities it's harder than ever...
6 ways to rescue your rocky relationship with writing when you’ve fallen out of love
Remember when you loved your writing project? When your relationship was fresh and exciting. You’d bounce out of bed longing to spend time with it. Now you can’t bear to be in the same room. It’s become a slog. You’re not even sure it’s a project worth saving -...
How small steps lead to great progress
Your writing dreams are big, but the way to achieve them is to think small. If you want to build a new routine or change your behavior, the research says you need to start tiny. Here’s how to use small steps to build great progress. You’ve got a great idea for a book,...
Prioritize your writing – make writing matter and make it happen
You’re busy. You’ve got a job, family commitments, a life that fills your calendar from dawn until dusk. But you’ve also got dreams - a creative idea, a book you want to write - or you’ve got plans for an article you need to write, a blog to update. If your writing...
10 characteristics of highly productive writers
In our workshops we’re often asked what we mean by ‘writing productivity’. I’m not surprised. ‘Productivity’ has some iffy connotations. It conjures up mental images of factory production lines or some dead-eyed corporate efficiency drives. No wonder writers baulk....
A guide to tracking your writing – why noticing how you write will transform your practice
Tracking can be a powerful tool for behaviour change. It can help you build writing habits and routines, improve your productivity and make you feel more positive about writing - which means you'll be more likely to write. Get started with this complete guide to...
Why ‘enjoyment’ is the only New Year’s writing resolution you need (and the 3 steps to achieving it)
Some people think pleasure is peripheral to the writing process, something nice to have but not essential. We profoundly disagree. In our work with writers of all kinds - from professors and business gurus to novelists and creatives - we've found that it’s the people...
The complete guide to writing accountability – hold yourself to account and use others to help you achieve your writing goals
Writing accountability comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether you like to keep your projects secret or enlist others to support you, we’ve got you covered in this complete guide to writing accountability. Find out why it matters, get inspired by the ingenious methods...
8 things to try if you’re blocked from writing because you have too much time
It's easy to fantasise that when you clear the desks to write, you'll end up blissfully writing for hours at a time. But having lots of time to write can be just as damaging to your productivity as having too little – sometimes more so. When you have all the time in...
How to stop procrastinating for good: a guide for writers
Some writers assume that procrastinating means engaging in frivolous activity - but that’s not true. Work can be procrastination, research can be procrastination, planning can be procrastination. It has many different forms and the less visible it is, the more...
10 lessons to boost your productivity from a writing coach
As a writing coach, I sometimes find myself giving different people the same productivity lessons again and again on our training courses. Sometimes these tips seem counter-intuitive. Over the years, I've grown accustomed to the raised eyebrows they can generate. But...
Finding time to write: the spontaneous writer
Spontaneous writers grab any opportunity to write. With busy or unpredictable schedules, they need to be prepared to write at the drop of a hat. Find out how to become a master of spontaneous writing and keep alert to the pitfalls of this approach to writing time. The...
