Perhaps you're in a steady writing routine and you know what works for you. If so, great ... but what if things aren't quite going as smoothly as you'd like?

Experimenting with different ways to use your writing time could help you get more writing done. You might find that a particular idea allows you to fit writing sessions more easily into your life ... or that it helps you to make more from the time that you do have. Perhaps you'll even find an idea that helps you enjoy the writing process more, too.

Here are six small ways to experiment with your writing time:

#1: Write for Very Short Sessions

Perhaps 30 minutes or even 15 minutes doesn't work for you. How about 10 minutes or 5 minutes? It might barely seem worth opening your laptop or picking up your pen ... but if you have everything ready to go, you can get a lot done across several 5 and 10 minute focused writing bursts.

#2: Write at a Different Time of Day

If you normally write in the evenings, try first thing in the morning: perhaps you'll find you're more focused and you can write twice as fast. If you normally write in the mornings, try the afternoons or evenings: you might feel more able to relax into your writing.

#3: Write in a Different Place from Usual

Could you get away from home to write? Or write in a different room? Changing your surroundings could make a difference to your focus levels or how inspired you feel.

#4: Set a Timer and Write Until it Goes Off

Whether it's writing or housework, I always focus better and work faster if I'm racing a timer. If you have a long or open-ended writing session ahead, try writing solidly for 15 to 30 minutes: resist distractions until that timer goes off.

#5: Write as Fast as You Can 

Do you edit a lot when you write? I tend to write fast without much looking back ... but I do stop to correct typos, change words, and make other small edits along the way. If you feel that you're doing too much of this, challenge yourself to write as fast as you can. Don't worry about typos or even a lack of punctuation: just let the words pour out.

#6: Write on Paper Instead of On Your Computer ... or Vice Versa

When I first started writing fiction, in my early teens, I drafted everything on paper. It was a lot more portable than the family's desktop computer! These days, I type everything, first drafts and redrafts alike, and there's a good chance you do too. But the experience of writing by hand is quite different ... so switch things up occasionally.

There are plenty of other ways you could experiment with your writing time, too. How about dictating instead of typing, using a different tool or app to write (I use Wavemaker on my Chromebook for my fiction), or switching every 15 - 30 minutes between two different writing projects?

Or you might have your own writing experiment that you want to try out. Keep testing out what works for you: if you find something you like, make it a regular part of your writing life.

Happy writing,

Ali

P.S. If you missed this week's blog post, you can find it here:

What is Content Writing ... and How Can You Make Money From It?