How to Become a FASTER Writer
I was a slow writer. And when I say slow, I mean I was SLOW. I’m talking taking a week just to write 1000 words. So I think you can trust this article comes from a good place.
It took a bit of self reflection and practice to finally help me pick up the pace. Here are habits to break and rules to follow that will help you write fast.
1. Don’t Overthink Every Sentence
We are told to show and don’t tell. We are told to use our five senses to describe a surrounding or object. It’s all great writing advice really, but sometimes we get so caught up in following the rules that we overthink our sentences. There are times when it’s best to get straight to the point.
Purple prose is when you write too “flowery” or too descriptive. It’s confusing and unnecessary for the reader.
To avoid this mistake, keep in mind that every sentence must serve a purpose. And every description must add to the overall feeling you are trying to convey.
I’ve gotten stuck before because I focused too much on making my writing “flowery” with no real purpose other than to be “a good writer.” I thought of thirty different ways to describe something insignificant when my time and effort would be better spent elsewhere. What did it add to the story? Absolutely nothing, except for a distraction, and maybe a nice practice session.
It’s better to say: She took a bite of the peach.
Instead of: She took a bite of the orange-red fruit that resembled the gradient of a sunset …or something dumb like that. (I mean, you wouldn’t have even known I was describing a peach unless I said so).
2. “Perfect” Your Writing Through Editing
If you are like me, then you probably edit your work as you write, going over the same paragraph multiple times to make sure it flows. That is…until you realize you’ve only written 30 words in 1 hour.
Well that is what the editing process is for—to make sure you aren’t repeating the same words too many times, to make sure everything flows, and to make sure everything makes sense. Hours shouldn’t be spent on making your writing perfect on your first draft. It’s a time wasting habit that will keep you stuck on the same 5 sentence paragraph for hours.
Try this: Get all your thoughts out on the page at once, then piece it together later. Save your “perfectionist mode” for when you’re ready to edit. You will be thankful that you have words on a page to work with later.
3. Outline your Work
I’m a planner. I hate it, but that’s just the way it is.
If you can’t find the words to write, it can be a sign that you don’t have a complete story to tell. There is some sort of element missing, whether that be your character’s personality, the setting, the overarching theme, etc.
Whatever the case may be, spend about 10-15 minutes getting to know your characters, setting, or plot. You can also outline the sequence of your scene.
Give it a try! Outlining is important for you to understand exactly what you are trying to create.
4. Practice
Practice! Practice! Practice! Did I say it enough? Practice!
Writing is a craft. And the more you practice it, the sooner you will be able to find what works. Once you figure out what to focus your words on, the writing process will go by quicker. Try to exercise what you learned like a muscle every day.
The writing doesn’t have to be good; it just needs to be complete. After I write, I correct my mistakes. It helped me create short-cuts when I approach similar scenarios. The more I wrote, the more I learned, and the more I learn, the faster I got.
I created writing prompts that target specific skill sets for the sole purpose of helping me to practice good habits.
So there it is!
I hope this article helped you to become a fast writer. The most important thing for you to do is practice. That way you’ll find what works for you.