Writing: How Do You Stay Productive?
Even when I'm in a rut, I can write a good bit in a day. I don't have a set schedule, and I don't write chronologically; in fact, I've often referred to my writing style as, eloquently, the Victor Frankenstein method, or, less eloquently, the writer's runs method (the antithesis of writer's block). In the first draft stage, I write whatever occurs to me and splice the parts—and scenes—together in a semi-logical order.
I've received a few requests by people who are struggling to be motivated or to continue a project about writing a piece on how I'm so productive. I try to write 10,000 words a week. Some authors write less, and some write more. I figure that an average of 40K a month allows me to produce roughly a book every two months. This is a relatively new routine and doesn't quite work out as cleanly as it seems because I don't dedicate my time to writing new drafts all the time. I need to promote upcoming stories and projects, revise finished drafts, and outline new projects. I also manage social media in my writing and professional life, and I sometimes split the 10K between stories because I have a lot, a lot of ideas. (I even have an idea spreadsheet!)
Admittedly, I'm not a fan of writing prescriptive posts about what you should or should not do; writing is so individualistic that the only "rule" is to write (down all those ideas you THINK you'll remember before you fall asleep—seriously). However, I will trace my process and progress in the hopes that you might relate or find possible ways to manifest your creative goals.
Experience A Lot of Failure
"How did you get to write so much in such a short time?" you ask. I failed. A lot. These failures are not necessarily major; in fact, they feel like accomplishments now. When I first tried National Novel Writing Month, which is coming soon, I tried to write some dark vampire thing and didn't get very far. In my junior year, I started a story called, The Sorry Generation. I imagine I wrote about 50,000 words before realizing, after many months, it wasn't working. It was more of a series of vignettes than a recurring conflict.
For about three years, I worked on a horror novel called Rabbit Red, the story of a girl adopted by a cannibalistic couple. I think I'll return to Rabbit Red one day; I have about fifteen drafts of it, the latest with 87,000 words. Ultimately, the story suffered, again, from not having a focal conflict. Now, with distance and more experience with writing and reading, I understand what the external and internal conflicts need to me. It wasn't that I didn't have these conflicts, but many of the scenes, which were un-chaptered and largely non-chronological, were vignettes I'd grown attached to and couldn't bring myself to expand, truncate, or outright remove. This is also before I let others read my work because I felt severe anxiety over doing so, and trying to determine what didn't work on my own was frustrating.
By January 2015, I had two failed, but lengthy, novel attempts that lasted many years under my belt, along with the failed NaNoWriMo attempt and many successful attempts I placed on the backburner after I "won" because I lost interest in them. I had also tried poetry and short fiction, only to face rejection and constant doubt; it wasn't until this years that I've received an award for a story story I wrote, which is a part of my novel, Dove Keeper. I have received a great deal of praise for Dove Keeper, along with helpful criticism that has made me feel like I've reached a good spot with this story. Even so, it wasn't as if I conjured up this one successfully completed, though still unpublished, work without missing the mark.
Many people might have many more stories or writing attempts that haven't quite hit the mark, and that's okay. I can't quite say how one determines whether their draft is good enough perhaps, besides, multiple outside sources to confirm it, but I do know much retrospection and knowing when to set aside certain projects went into play. It's perfectly fine to take a break from a project and reconfigure, especially if you've been working on it for a long time. You are not beholden to a project just because you've been working on it for three years, five years, or even a decade!
My Routine Isn't Your Routine, And That's Okay
I ran a Twitter poll and asked how many people wrote chronologically. Many people chimed in, and I was surprised that over 50% of people answered "yes."
If you look at my word count goals and think you can't immediately do that, that's okay. Nor should you expect yourself to do things exactly as someone else.
But If Something Isn't Working, It's Okay to Change It, Even if Someone Famous Thinks It's the Only Hallowed Way to Write
"B-but this author who has written 700 books says I need to write 1,000 words a day with an outline or I'm not a real writer."
"This award-winning, bestselling author says you always need an outline and that you need to write in order."
Everyone's creative goals are different, as are their schedules and physical needs. You do you. However, if you feel like you write chronologically, or out of order, and it's impeding your progress because you like you can't proceed until you pass one hurdle or another, again, reconfigure or, if able and not on an immediate deadline, set the project aside.
For Dove Keeper's sequel, Birds in a Cage, I did the opposite of many writers who write chronologically but break sequence during difficult creative straits: I wrote completely in sequence with a detailed outline. This was after a period of not producing creative content, and trying this new method helped my confidence (I can write with an outline and in chronological order!) and rejuvenated me.
And if someone tells you you aren't a real writer unless you write X amount of words a day, realize that a good deal of research and staging a story goes in the writing process and doesn't necessarily consist of writing, or at least writing a great deal of words during those stages.
Remember the Personal Character Stakes for Your Story
This is something I think of if I'm unsure of a story's direction. I feel like when thinking about what makes a story work, or what makes a story interesting, considering the consequences of what happens if your character fails is important. However, often people think of "big stakes" as the end of the universe or some imposing, world-encompassing threat.
Consider romances, or stories with a love element that isn't necessarily even romantic. What makes you keep reading? Normally, a love story, even a platonic one (such as a buddy comedy) follows an arc where there comes a point when the two leads break apart because of a physical obstacle or a misunderstanding. This isn't necessarily a villain plotting to kill everyone, but why is it effective?
Because it's relatable and personal.
Many people can relate to struggling to keep a close relationship from fragmenting forever, and so think: What relationships drive the story, and is there room for more conflict? How could you explore this bond, complicate said bond, and propel your readers to read more to discover if the relationship survives.
This is what I do for all my stories. Dove Keeper is, in essence, a mother-daughter story. Its sequel is that but also a romance and exploration of grief.
Envision What Your Ideal Reader Wants to See
Some of my best sources of inspiration are the people who read my work. The people who have read my work the most are two friends and co-workers, Kelsey and Marie. While Kelsey has been a rockstar and has read most of my drafts (that I'd probably never show another soul), and I use Kelsey as a soundboard to generate conflict in my stories, I envision Marie as my ideal reader. Kelsey is amazing, but she originally wasn't keen on horror and enjoys fantasy more than Gothic works. Nevertheless, her help is still constantly invaluable.
Marie, however, enjoys Gothic works and knows the expectations and conventions of the genre. She enjoys feminist and macabre themes, and so when I think of my horror stories, Marie perfectly encompasses the person I would write for: the 20-35 woman with an interest in horror, particularly Gothic horror, and women-centric stories with queer themes. She's all about that dark, Victorian-esque life. When I'm stuck, I tend to ask Marie what she would be interested in seeing or what she expects, and it spurs my imagination. I also torment her on Twitter.
Think of your ideal reader, not necessarily a general audience, since you can't please everyone. If you write horror, you can't strive to convince someone who hates horror that they'll fall in love with your writing.
Drink Some Water
This advice often comes across as patronizing, but I have a penchant for becoming dehydrated; when I am in a major depressive or anxious state, I struggle to remember to take a bath or brush my teeth. These add up to make everything feel horrible. I'm sensitive to changing temperatures, and so when I heat up, I become nauseated and fatigued. It's hard to write when you feel this overwhelmingly exhausted and terrible, but after lessening my coffee intake and relying mostly of water and tea, I do feel more energetic.
This advice, of course, does not apply if you are an Irken alien invader allergic to water.