Writing Tips: 20 Minute Sprints
Writing in 20 Minute Sprints is a great way to meet your daily word count without spending a great amount of time writing when you really don’t have the time.
First things first; find a 20 minute block of time in your day when you can sit down in front of the computer to write. This can be a quiet moment when you first get up before you start you daily routine, or it can be right before you settle in for the night. I usually find a few minutes after everyone leaves the house in the morning and right before I leave for work.
It is a good idea to have your ideas outlined. I tend to do this when I am waiting at traffic lights or sitting in the car during my lunch break. I take the time to outline ideas I have in a writing journal that I carry around with me all the time. With the outline ready, I won’t waste my time sitting in front of the computer trying to think of something to write about.
Now that you have your outline and your sitting in front of your computer, you will need a timer of some sort. I set the alarm on my cell phone most of the time. Sometimes I will set the timer on the microwave. It all depends on what I have handy at the time.
Start the timer and start typing. Keep typing for the full twenty minutes. Don’t stop for anything. When the alarms sounds, you should have between 500-1000 words written. If you are on a roll and don’t want to stop… by all means keep typing (unless you have to be at work or have to pick the kids up from school or something like that. Remember your priorities).
I find this 20 minute sprint extremely handy during NaNoWriMo in November. If I can do about 3 of these 20 minute sprints, most of the time I will have met my word count for the day. It is an effective tool in your writing arsenal.
See More Writing Tips.
If you have other ideas on how to find story ideas, write a comment. I would love to hear how you are inspired.
