The Write Life: How’s your focus?
You have an idea for your new book or story, you’ve figured out the genre, you’ve created an outline, you’re sitting at your desk ready to go… now what?
Maybe make some coffee and respond to those emails so your mind is clear before you start typing? Or take one last scan of the news so you know whether your new work is completely out of touch or not? Or clean your home? Or or or….
Before you actually start writing, you need to create an environment where you can focus on the writing and nothing else. Actually, you’re going to need to create a few environments.
First, protect your physical space from distractions. Lock yourself in a room alone if you are able. Put a “do not disturb” or “ask someone else” sign on the door. I know a writer who puts a sign on her office door that simply says “no.” Close the blinds if the world outside is too distracting. Turn music off or on for the same reasons. Block time on your calendars so no one interrupts you. In short, make sure there is nothing in your physical world pulling you away from your writing world.
Next, find ways to prevent digital distractions. They are particularly challenging as most apps and services are designed to compete for your attention so you check in multiple times a day. This constant stimulation is kryptonite for your focus. Turn on your devices’ Do Not Disturb options and use website blockers if you can’t resist temptation. (No judgement – we’ve all been there.) Some writers I know only write on devices not connected to the Internet to manage this. Others use different methodologies such as the Pomodoro technique, where you use a timer to write for 25 minutes, take a short break, then write for another 25 minutes. There are lots of apps out there that will help break your addiction to other apps in this way.
Embrace digital minimalism. Audit your apps regularly and remove everything that doesn’t serve your goals and distracts you from writing. Too often we end up serving the apps rather than the other way around, so it’s good to check in on your relationships with your apps from time to time. Cal Newport has a pretty good book on this called Digital Minimalism that every writer should read.
Now that you’ve removed distractions as much as possible, try to write at the same time every day for the same amount of time. Write in the same place if that works for you, or change it up if you’re more the type that needs a bit of variety. A habit like this will reinforce itself over time and gradually become unconscious.
All of these actions are designed to get you into the flow state, where the writing just happens. It does take work and structure, though. Like meditation, this clarity of mind doesn’t come naturally but requires a lot of practice.
Save the “shallow work” for the end of the day or for scheduled breaks. (Cal Newport identifies a useful distinction between deep work such as writing and shallow work such as responding to emails, paying bills, etc. Check out his book Deep Work for more on this.)
End the workday with something that allows you to easily slip back into focus state the next day. For instance, end halfway through a chapter where you are excited to write the next scene. This will make it easier to sit down and start writing again.
Your focus is like a muscle. The more you regularly train it, the stronger it will get.
Now stop reading this and get back to writing.
Related
The Write Life: You need a second brainThe Write Life: Make your desk a happy spaceThe Write Life: You can’t do it aloneThe Write Life: Support your communityThe Write Life: Plotting or pantsing?
