Timer Magic for Writers
BY KATEY COFFING, Ph.D.
If your writing muscle isn't in shape,
writing a novel may seem like a sheer, unscalable cliff. ("Gee, I don't
think I can write today. I left my climbing shoes in my other
backpack...")
Keep in mind that you don't need to
write the whole book today, so stop beating yourself up. Instead, just
start moving, one footstep at a time.
One of my favorite writing tools is a
timer. My author clients and I swear by ours, and "timer magic" can work
for almost any task that's looming over you. (Remember the old joke
about how to eat an elephant? One bite at a time!)
Get a timer and set it for 15 minutes.
C'mon, 15 minutes — you can do anything for that long. Promise yourself
these two things:
1. You'll be in your chair, and
2. You'll be willing to write during
that time.
Even if you're afraid you'll be staring
at a blank screen, do it. That's your agreement.
Now: butt in chair, hands on keyboard,
set the timer, and go. Write down anything that comes to you — snippets
of dialogue, ideas for an opening paragraph, why your heroine scratches
her nose when she's nervous and hates velvet. Anything. Don't censor it.
When the timer goes off, you're free to
stop. You've done what you pledged — writing time in that chair.
Congratulations!
Now take a reward. Will it be a bowl of
Rocky Road ice cream? Half an hour of guilt-free reading of a favorite
author's new book? Do what feels good, and choose something that will
motivate you next time.
Next, decide exactly when that time
will be (make it soon). If you're in the middle of a juicy paragraph and
want to complete it, do. You can always set the timer for another 15
minutes to keep going. Then do something extra nice for yourself. You
earned it!
As 15 minutes becomes a habit, add more
minutes to the timer to increase your momentum. Soon you'll be zipping
along.
Remember: it takes only one step to
start a journey, and small steps can take you anywhere you want to go.
Copyright © 2004 Katey Coffing, Ph.D.
Katey Coffing, Ph.D. is a novelist
and book coach who helps women delight in writing (and finishing!) their
books. Visit her
website and subscribe to her ezine, The Write Calling, for
additional articles and tips for women writers.
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