Seven Ways to Stay Focused During Writing
I don’t know if you’re like me, but I am easily distracted. The dishwasher cycle finished? Now I’ve got to unload the dishes! A squirrel jumps onto the window. I watch it dart to a rooftop adventure. My phone rings, and I immediately answer it, only to realize it’s a spam call.
Taking the time to write can already be a challenge, but staying focused during that time? That’s another hurdle to cross. Here’s seven practical ways that have helped me focus during writing…
1) Place your cellphone on airplane mode or move it out of the room entirely. If I’m writing in a coffeeshop, I drop it into a tote bag and keep it out of sight. Our phones constantly distract us, and I don’t want to be tempted to send a text, check a notification, or do anything else that drags me away from writing.
2) Find a space where you can zone out. A space that holds minimal to no distractions. For me, this is a coffeeshop. I put in my earbuds, listen to music, and I’m absorbed in the work. People milling about, sipping their lattes, and laughing with each other provides comfort rather than distraction for me. For you, maybe this means lounging near an apartment window with a treetop view, tucking away in a guest bedroom that has a writing desk, or sprawling outside at a favorite grassy park. Or you might like to mix it up and try a bit of everything! It’s going to be different for each individual, and you just have to find what works best for you.
3) Curate a playlist. Imagine your book as a movie. What would the soundtrack be? Does a certain scene need specific music? Do any of your characters have a recurring theme? As I’m working on my first draft, I keep a running list of the songs and soundtracks I love. It has helped me focus so much, and it’s really fun and epic too!
4) Write by hand. Notifications can pop up on your laptop. You can always turn to email, Google, or a myriad of other distractions waiting at your fingertips. Writing by hand keeps you locked in on writing and writing only. Hope and I have both benefitted greatly from doing this, and I’ve actually grown to love it more than typing over time.
5) Morning, Afternoon, or Evening? Is there a time of day that you feel your brightest and best? My brain feels freshest in the morning. I get all my best ideas then! Hope, however, loves an evening writing session. Find a time of the day when you will have less distractions, feel your best, and focus more easily.
6) Set a timer or make a schedule. Full disclaimer: I make a schedule more often than setting a timer. It’s helpful to give yourself a limitation or carve out time for writing alone. If I schedule 7:30-9:30am for writing, I know that I have two specific hours to complete the task. It’s a gentle kind of pressure that can actually help you thrive.
7) Make it fun! This is key for me. We are more likely to focus if we are enjoying the task at hand. Writing is hard, yes, but it can be satisfying, fulfilling work too. Light a candle, use colorful pens, utilize a beautiful notebook, type in a favorite font, sip a yummy drink, write at a coffeeshop with a writer friend - anything that helps your creativity thrive and the process enjoyable! Right now, I’m loving my morning iced coffee!
As you read through these suggestions, perhaps you found only one thing that works for you. Or maybe none. But that’s okay! Writing, and the best ways to go about it, is a subjective process in many ways. What works for me might not work for you and vice versa. Hopefully, this blog helped other useful ideas pop up that DO work for you. Check out the “Contact” page and share them with us!
Your friend with a pen,
Kaitlyn