This is day number five of straight writing. I have been writing atleast an article for the last four days. I have never posted five consecutive articles in five days. This is my very first time WOW.
A few days ago as I was doing my usual reading ritual I came across an article on medium, that has changed my productivity in terms of frequency of writing. It has taken my productivity to another level.
I have been writing for some time now and to be honest, have struggled to write consistently. I have been looking for a formula that would help improve the translation of my thoughts to paper.
I have never doubted my ability to read and write. It is the ability to write regularly that I have struggled with. I have so many ideas that need to be transmuted to paper.
I have read many suggestions, some of which are very good and have helped me. But not everything has been beneficial. I have tried and tried many methods to improve the speed at which I produce articles but with no success.
Am very sure that some of you are struggling like me. Well, I hope my discovery will be of help to you as well. It is only the beginning but I can strongly sense a feeling that this is the right one for me.
Over the years I have come to appreciate the principle of writing every day. It helps you develop the muscle of writing. The more you practice the better your writing becomes. I have struggled to write creatively daily.
As they say, practice makes perfect but I say practice creates room for improvement. There is always room for improvement.
My biggest discovery was the use of my mobile phone. This I believe is a game-changer for me. I needed a medium that is not destructive one that would keep me focused and can be accessed all the time.
I was looking in the wrong places yet I had the gadget and did not know how else to use it apart from making phone calls. Look, explore the gadgets you have. They could just be what you have been looking for to improve your productivity.
Being from the old school I tried the old conventional way of using a writing pad and then typing the document on my computer but this is very tedious and time-consuming.
You may ask why not type straight on your computer? I tried this and for a long time, this has been my preferred method. Most of the articles on this website were produced like this.
The problem I have is that every time I sit on my computer I have so many distractions. I want to do so many things and unfortunately for me by the time I open my word processor the idea of writing has evaporated.
The other disadvantage is that sometimes the urge to write will come when I do not have immediate access to my computer. The only thing I can do is probably just write the idea in a notebook.
By the time I get to sit down to put it to paper, the mind is switched off. But with the phone, I am always with it. All I do is just find a secluded place and am good to go.
Writing needs some level of concentration and yes even though I can type faster on my computer’s keyboard I would rather be slow and be more productive.
I have discovered that I am more productive using my android phone to produce the meat and later transfer it to my computer for final editing and proofreading. With the use of Google Docs, I can access my documents from anywhere in the world.
I can sit down and produce a 1000 words article within one to one and half hours on my phone without interruption. Previously it would take me much longer and would struggle to concentrate.
With this method, I now take my time with editing and proofreading. It has freed up my time to concentrate on other aspects of my productivity.
The proof is in the 4 previous articles that I wrote whilst on a bus commuting to work. The beauty of a phone is that it is pocket size yet big enough for typing.
At first, when I tried for the first article I thought it would not work but I tried again, and alas here I am now writing the fifth article using my android phone. I hope not to break the streak and see how it goes.
Previously I have attempted a one-month writing challenge and failed terribly. I hope with my newfound method I can revisit the challenge and conquer it.
Just like with every other skill you need to find what works best for you. I like to think on paper and let the fingers do the talking. Don’t bother about your spelling and concentrate on what is flowing from within.
If you are locked in you will be surprised at how words can flow from you. It will of course be not perfect but you have the meat of your story and what remains is putting it together to make it more sensible.
The moment you start concentrating on your spellings, you interrupt the flow of your writing. Just write until the end, you will have time to do your spell check and corrections once you have emptied your ideas.
The other thing about using Google Docs is that it has auto-correction and some words will be corrected on the go. This reduces the correction process.
Conclusion
Writing is an expression of our being. I write to tell my story and hope that someone out there can be inspired to even achieve more with their own lives. We share our stories through writing. Find a method that works for you and continue telling your story.