4 productivity tips for writers: become more productive and write stories faster

Writing a novel is hard. It takes a lot of time and energy. Often, writers don’t know where to start or how to write their story.

This blog article explains how writers can choose their writing project, schedule their time, set realistic writing goals and create a productive space that will inspire them to write their best story yet.

Choose your writing project
Schedule your time
Set realistic and flexible goals
Create a productive space

Choose your writing project
You have a lot of different story ideas that you want to write and publish, but you don’t know which one to start next. You might want to write all of them at the same time, but there are only 24 hours in a day, and there is a limit to what one can do.

You have to prioritise your story ideas and decide which one to start first. One way to decide which story idea to develop first is to look at your notes (main characters, plot points, setting) and see which story idea makes you feel more excited and inspired.

I recommend writing one story at a time, especially if you are a new writer. Dealing with multiple projects might get you excited in the beginning, but you might get frustrated and overwhelmed about the number of tasks you need to complete. 

If you are a seasoned writer, you might be more comfortable working with multiple writing projects at the same time, especially if you have a clear picture in mind about the tasks you need to complete.

Schedule your time
Find the best time of day for you to sit down and write your story. Note down on a calendar or a todoist application your work hours, obligations and appointments and look at the available time you have left each day.Note the available time in your calendar as your writing time. 

Write every single day. Write while you are waiting to pick up your kid from an activity or while you are waiting for an appointment using your phone or a notebook. Even 10-15 minutes can make a difference. The time and the words will eventually add up.

Set realistic and flexible goals
Are you a pantser? Do you prefer to sit down and write the story as it comes to you with minimal or no notes at all? To let your imagination and creativity lead you as you write the story? 
OR
Are you a plotter? Do you prefer to know everything about your story beforehand? To create detailed story and character arcs, character sketches and beat sheets with subplots and write down chapter-by-chapter summaries? Or maybe you are somewhere in between? 

Brainstorm and write down the tasks you need to complete to finish your story. Write all the outlining, writing, editing and publishing tasks that come into your mind in a notebook or a todoist application.

Write down all the tasks you know you will do for now. You can always come back later to add, change or delete tasks.  You can put your tasks into categories (outlining, writing, editing, publishing) and be as specific or detailed as you want.
Possible tasks may include:

• Do research about the setting of the story
• Write down the character profiles of the main characters
• Write 1,000 words every day
• Edit a scene per day
• Send query letters to publishers

Once you write down all the tasks you need to do to finish your story, you can estimate how much time each task will take and come up with a rough deadline. Since finishing your story will take a lot of time (possibly months or years), be flexible in your estimates and keep in mind that your deadline might change.

Also, I recommend breaking down your story into milestones and rewarding yourself for each milestone to keep yourself inspired and motivated. Possible milestones include:

• Finish outlining your story (research, character profiles, chapter summaries)
• Write the first draft of the story 
• Edit the first draft of the story
• Publishing your story

Possible rewards include going on a day trip with friends and family, visiting your favourite bookstore or going to a restaurant with friends to celebrate your success.

Create a productive space
Find a quiet and clean writing space. It can be your office desk, the kitchen table, the garden table or anywhere else you want. This will be your designated writing space. Set it up beforehand so that it is ready for you to write every day. Gather all the things you need in your writing space before you sit down to write, such as water, snacks or notes. 

Make sure that no one interrupts you while you are writing your story. Tell your friends and family that that the particular chunk of time is dedicated to your writing and not to disturb you at that time (unless absolutely necessary).

Shut down all other electronic devices that might distract you from writing, and tidy up your desk.  Move your mobile phone to another room and have only the computer that you are working on your story with you.

You can also light a candle and wear noise-cancelling headphones to avoid outside noise and distractions. Turn on your favorite music or a playlist that suits the vibe and genre of your story to inspire your writing sessions and keep you focused.

Conclusion
Writing is a skill that takes practice and time to improve. Try different outlining, writing and editing approaches and see what makes you more excited, productive, and creative to finish your story. Be flexible and build habits that work for you. 

​Write every single day. Inspiration may get you to start your novel, but discipline will help you finish it. Keep the momentum going and make your writing goals come true! Happy writing!

Further reading
What type of writer are you: pantser vs plotter vs plantser
How to create a consistent writing routine
3 types of writer goals to set in 2025

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About the author

​​Maria Georgiou is a professional developmental editor and beta reader for romance authors. She specialises in editing contemporary romance, YA romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance and romantasy. She is a member of the EFA and ClubEdFreelancers. 
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