How to Write Faster: Tips to Successfully Hit 1K Words Every Time You Write

Having a consistent writing habit does not mean a daily one.

Photo by Thom Milkovic on Unsplash

Writing fast is a superpower.

It means you get to churn out more words in less time. For some, that equals finishing a manuscript in a month. For others, it means putting a ton of articles out on your blog in record time.

Whether you write for fun, money, or some other ambiguous reason, the quicker you get it done, the better.

Problem is, our mind gets in the way. Our schedule also works against us. So does life.

It happens. It sucks. But we can work with it.

Things like setting goals, deadlines, and doing writing sprints can help eliminate a bunch of the resistance to writing. Once that resistance breaks, all that’s left to do is write as much as you can in the time you have.

Here are some things I do to write at least 1,000 words per writing session. Some days it’s more, some days less. But, it’s always worth it.

Use Goals & Deadlines as Guidelines

If you don’t have any goals, you won’t know where to go. You’ll stop at every fork in the road and detours will burn you out.

I like to look at goals and (self-imposed) deadlines as suggestions.

They tell me I’m on the right track. However, if I miss one or the other, I’m not worried, stressed, or anxious. I simply take note, readjust my expectations, and keep going.

Here’s how I do it:

1. Set a word count, story, or article goal depending on what kind of writing you’re doing. (i.e. 70k words for a manuscript, 10 short stories, 3 articles, etc.)
2. Decide on an ambitious, yet achievable deadline for that goal.
3. Create a simple writing process by breaking down your goal into achievable milestones.
4. If you hit the deadline, that’s great! If you find it’s approaching faster than you can write, simply take note and readjust. Eventually, you’ll figure out what works best for you and you won’t have to keep readjusting.
5. Recognize when you need a break and take it! Do not feel guilty when you do. That guilt will make writing insufferable. Relax. You deserve it. And, as I said before, you can always readjust!

As Douglas Adams said,

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.

Deadlines, as long as they’re self-imposed, are suggestions. Let them guide you along, but don’t let them control you.

Write Literally ANYTHING as Consistently as Possible

You read me right. Anything.

Write anything!

Even if it’s a side project, a thought, a blog post, who cares? As long as you’re flexing your fingers, typing words that mean something to you, you’re making progress.

Sometimes it’s helpful to take a break from your main project.

Just make sure you’re not chasing a million shiny ideas at once. Pick two or three side projects that make you happy (like short stories) and work on those when you need a break.

What really matters, is that you’re consistent in a way that works for you.

Key Words: for. you.

As great as it would be to write at a specific time every single day, no weekends off, I know for sure that I cannot do that.

I have barely any commitments, but that kind of schedule burns me out like a faulty match. Trust me, I’ve tried too many times to count.

Although my favorite writers and gurus all preach the benefits of a daily writing habit, it just doesn’t work for me in the way they swear it will.

However, I’ve recently been playing with consistency in other ways. I’ve learned some interesting things about it, and I’d like to share a few of them with you.

First: Having a consistent writing habit does not mean a daily one.

You can write every other day, or once every two weeks, and that still counts.

You can be like me and write thousands of words every few days, or like the greats, and write a few hundred words every single morning with a cuppa joe.

Whatever works for you is what will get you to those deadlines.

Second: The fastest way to inconsistency is by stressing over being consistent.

Where your mind goes, energy flows.

If you’re constantly worried about falling off the consistency wagon, you probably will.

Suddenly, a million reasons you just can’t stay consistent will push you off the edge, leaving it to skirt away, splashing mud on your face.

Stop worrying so much about being consistent or productive.

The kinder you are to yourself, and the less you care about fitting into the mould shaped by social media, the more consistent you’ll naturally be. Stress leads to inconsistency because it takes energy away from you.

Take that energy back and focus on doing your best work on your own terms.

Third: Sometimes, you aren’t ready for the commitment yet.

I swore off productivity earlier this year, and it’s made me more productive.

Ironic, isn’t it?

I gave up on productivity because I was tired. I was burned out. And yet, somewhere during sleeping days and sleepless nights, I wanted to do things again.

By giving myself that guilt-free rest, I eventually realized what I really want to commit my time and energy to.

I’m still not extremely consistent or productive, but it’s better than I was last month.

Sometimes, the sole reason we can’t stay consistent is that we aren’t ready.

But the crazy thing about us humans is that, once we’re tired of doing one thing, we’ll start mentally preparing for the next. Eventually, we get tired of being stuck and we’ll do what it takes to get out.

So, try it. Take a breather, let your ambitions take a back seat, and see what happens.

Eventually, the urge to be better will take over, and it’ll be amazing.

Brain Dump for 30 Minutes at a Time (Or 25, or 60, or more/less)

You’ve probably heard this before, but oh well. Here it goes again!

Use the Pomodoro Technique.

The Pomodoro Technique is a series of work/break sessions. Typically, it goes 25 minutes of work, 5 minutes of break, and then the cycle repeats. Once you’ve hit an hour of work/break time, you take a long break, which usually lasts 15–20 minutes.

You can use this however you like.

In the writing world, these work sessions are called Writing Sprints.

Whatever you call them, use them. They work wonders!

The best way to use this method is by silencing any distractions, putting on some sort of sound that relaxes you, and writing without thinking or editing.

Just write. Thinking comes later, when you’re editing. Let your fingers lead the way. I know it’s scary, but trust me, the product almost always exceeds expectations.

I also like to write down my word count after every work session.

This is great because it not only documents growth, but it’s also extremely motivating! If you do enough of these sprints, eventually your average words per session will go up and it’s always great to see that.

Sometimes, I’ll make my work sessions shorter or longer, depending on my mood.

The most important thing is to tailor these sessions to you. Whatever works for you is what’ll get you the best results.

If you do this for a few hours a day “consistently”, you’ll be churning out well over 1,000 words daily in no time, I promise.

5 Ways to Make The Most Out of Every Writing Session

1. Commit to writing a full “thing” every session (scene, chapter, story, etc.). By “session” here, I’m referring to your entire writing session for that day, not the work/break sessions.
2. Get rid of distractions. If using your phone as a timer, put it in Do Not Disturb mode. No excuses!
3. Use sound to drown out silence. (i.e. rain, music, white/brown noise, etc.)
4. Keep your favorite beverage and/or snacks around. (I like green tea!)
5. Stay hydrated! So important. Keep a water bottle or cup near you at all times. A dehydrated brain is a foggy brain, and no one likes brain fog.

Caveats + Words of Motivation

• Daily word output depends on how fast you type. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t hit that 1K milestone. It’s not easy. Remember that typing fast doesn’t always mean creating great work. Focus on going at a pace that is comfortable. What matters is creating work you’re proud of, even if it takes longer than you’d like to write it.
• Not everything you write will be great, and that’s fine. A pro to writing a lot of words during a session is that it gives you a lot to edit later. That’s the real goal. Not creating the next Great American Novel in one month.
• Focus on finishing things to build confidence. Writing from start to finish has tremendous results. It builds your confidence and gives you something to work with later. So, focus on finishing short stories, chapters, scenes, etc. and watch your confidence grow as a writer.
• This won’t work for everyone, so don’t feel bad if it doesn’t work for you. Everyone operates in their own way. What works for me won’t always work for you, and that’s okay. Take what you need and leave the rest.

Growing up, I was a relatively fast writer. I didn’t understand the struggle most writers feel working with a daunting blank page and blinking cursor. But now, as I revive my writing practice, I understand.

Nowadays, these things keep me going.

In particular, using the Pomodoro technique, silencing distractions with a write-along video or some Quran to keep me company, is how I successfully write at least 1,000 words during a writing session.

For the rest of my success, I thank all the self-reflection, personal development books, and blog articles for helping me figure out how I best operate in order to reach my goals in a healthy manner.

When it comes down to it, writing is an art.

Perfecting art takes time, practice, and patience. The faster you write, the more practice you get in less time. If you practice a lot, you have no choice but to improve.

So, in the end, writing faster in less time is truly a skill that every writer should have, and I hope these tips help you do just that.

What are your thoughts on writing faster in less time? Will you implement any of these? Do you have any tips of your own? Let me know in the comments.

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Have a lovely day/night wherever you are.

— Daya

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