Spark Nine: How to Write a Book: Write Daily
Writing Deep: Write 3,000 words a day*
This is the ninth Spark adapted and updated from my book, Overcome Writer’s Block: 10 Writing Sparks to Jumpstart Your Creativity, I’m syndicating on Medium.
You can read the whole book here on Medium, or buy the entire ebook at Kindle or Smashwords.
Writing Deep: Write 3,000 words a day*
When it comes to writing deep, you will find you can write a lot. By clearing the path from your desire to write, to the action of doing so, you can be the creative being you are meant to be.
*3,000 words a day may be a good goal for you, or writing 500 words may be more realistic. Pick a realistic yet slightly challenging goal for yourself as your daily word or page count.
Write deep and in quantity.
In three simple action steps you can be writing your dream.
Action Step One
Write down your big goal for the week, be it to complete the novel, write the first chapter, address issues of the troublesome middle of your piece, or complete an article, synopsis, or outline.
Write this goal in the form of one sentence, in the active form, with a clear completion date (if needed), and stated in the present tense.
Make sure it creates a clear picture in your mind. If the first iteration is not clear enough, write it a few times until the image is clear and powerful.
An example is: “I write a complete synopsis of my novel by Friday.” Another example is: “I write with focus every day.”
Action Step Two
If you notice that it is hard to start the writing process, pick up the pen or face the computer screen, and write to one of these Prime the Mind™ free-write exercises.
Instructions: Write freely for at least 20 minutes on one of the topics below, or until you feel ready to write on your project.
Prime the Mind™ free-write exercises
1. Feel. How do you feel in this moment — about your life, about your writing? Allow yourself to express what needs to be said. You can be safe in your heart, in your mind. You can write.
2. Take an inventory of your strengths and weakness as they relate to your writing and your writing space. By writing space I mean your mental, emotional and physical writing space. Also note your time commitment to writing up to this moment. Be kind and compassionate about your weaknesses and congratulate yourself on your strengths.
3. Address and befriend the inner critic. The inner critic is anyone or anything that gets in the way of you sitting down and writing. Acknowledge and address your fear about your current project. What do you fear? Why? What other emotions and thoughts arise for you as you turn to face your fears?
Action Step Three
Start. Write. Your goal is clear in your mind; your inner issues have been addressed in the present. Now write.
Go clear the path to writing deep and embrace your clarity.
