5 Steps to Boost Writing Productivity

Internet Friend or Foe

The Internet can save writers time, but they can also be "time-suckers." If you are "always" on the computer but do not seem to have enough time to write, a number of factors could be working against you. It may be time to increase your writing productivity.

If you are serious about creating time that is conducive to productivity, you will have to give up some other activities. Even the most robotic multi-taskers have to draw the line somewhere. Some computer and Internet activities are not conducive to productive writing sessions. By recognizing the behaviors and programs that are sucking your time away, you can begin to cut back and eliminate them during your writing hours, and increase your productivity.

Steps to Productivity

Steps to Productivity: 1. Turn off Your Email

Writers who make money from writing need to check their email when they log onto their computers. Email is an important part of the daily business for freelance writers.

However, if you find yourself stopping your writing in the middle of a sentence each time you have new mail, it is time to turn it off. Unless you are waiting for an email aboutspecific instructions, a payment negotiation, an interview response or other important email, turn the email program off so you can get some serious writing time in.

Steps to Productivity 2. Limit News Reading

It is important for writers to know what is going on in the world around them. If you mainly get your news from the Internet, you need to designate a time of day to browse news headlines.

"Browse headlines" is key here. You do not need to read every article you come across.

For many writers, checking headlines first thing in the morning is important. When the headline news is important to you, make a point read it first thing in the morning, and browse it again in the middle of the day, and maybe even once in the evening.

Steps to Productivity 3. Just Say No to IM