8 Ways to Help You Focus Like a Pro While Writing
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash
Some of you have started NaNoWriMo this week – or some version of a writing challenge. Congratulations! Sometimes it takes a specific challenge to break through that resistance and get us to actually sit down and write. Sometimes knowing it’s for a limited period of time helps us focus. It’s far more effective in terms of meeting your goal to say, “I’m going to write 1,000 words per day for the next month” than to say “I’m going to write 1,000 words per day until I get this novel done.”
Which brings us to today’s topic: Focus.
We often extol the freedom of creativity. The paradox is that creativity often flourishes in constraint! As much as we resist that idea, it’s true. If I tell you to write anything you want for 15 minutes, you’ll likely spend a lot of that time waffling, trying to come up with something. If I tell you to write about the best gift you ever received for 15 minutes, that focus will help you snap to it much faster.
However, saying we’ll be focused is easy. Staying focused is another matter. In the early stages of a writing challenge, you may find it easy to focus as the initial enthusiasm carries you through. But sooner or later, distractions have a way of sneaking in, until you get to the end of your designated writing time and wonder where it went.
Below are some ways to help you find (and keep) focus, on a daily and long-term basis:
Again, I can‘t say enough that constraint is your friend. Set a short-term, specific writing goal (it's why NaNoWriMo is so popular: "write a novel in a month" is much more motivating than "write a novel sometime this year.”). Set daily word count goals. Keep track of it in a visual way – on a calendar, a big piece of paper on the wall, whatever you can do to make sure it stays in your line of sight.
Set a timer for your writing sessions. Again, constraint! If you say “I’ll write 1,000 words today” it can take you 3 hours. If you say “I’ll write 1,000 words this hour,” and then set a timer, you are much more likely to actually do it. You can use the Pomodoro Method (25-minute bursts) or whatever method works for you. Put your writing time in your calendar – with reminders – to make it even more likely you’ll do it.
Use a focus app to turn off your ability to check email, play games, scroll social media, etc. I use SelfControl for Mac. RescueTime allows you to time-track and block websites at the same time (Focus does the same, with a Pomodoro timer – for Mac only). There’s lots out there – pick one and try it out. And be sure to put your phone in another room.
Journal before you sit down to formal writing. This dumps all the “stuff” swirling around your head so you can focus on what you want to write. Sometimes I just blurt about how I don’t feel like writing, or don’t know what to write next, or all the errands I have to run... and it clears my brain so I get excited to do my fiction.
If you are writing a draft – especially a first draft – do NOT stop to edit or do research. Make a note of what you need to look up or fix (I use yellow highlight or bold red so I’ll see it later). Write “Jenny tells Greg about the caves – TK" for example, if you need to look up information about the caves in question.
Another paradox is that it can help to have some noise in the background as you write. Music (especially without lyrics), a ticking clock, or an app with atmospheric sounds (like a coffee shop, or nature, or the Gryffindor Common Room. Research shows that some background noise, about 70 decibels, is conducive to maintaining focus.
Have a starting ritual – light a candle, close your eyes and take a deep breath, say an affirmation several times... read aloud a poem or quote that inspires you. This tells your brain it’s time to start writing. Alternatively, you can do something fun, like blow bubbles create magnetic poetry, doodle – anything that reminds you that writing is also play!
Have a treat ready – coffee, tea, chocolate (preferably dark). Caffeine can help you focus, and can be part of your preparation ritual. Just don’t overdo it, of course!
What are your favorite ways to focus while writing? Let us know in the comments!
