Preparing for Productivity

by Guest Laurie Schnebly Campbell

Have you ever done a 50,000-words-in-a-month sprint? How did it work out for you?

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I've never tried that myself, but friends who've done it report what sound like pretty typical pros & cons -- often in the same year.

            "It kept me productive long enough to finish the draft."

            "I didn't have enough time to build a cohesive story."

            "People understood and respected that I had to work."

            "All I accomplished was a bunch of disconnected scenes."

Sprinting can be a great way to sustain productivity. We all know it's hard to get pages finished when the kids are clamoring for snacks, when the boss is asking for an extra-hours project, when everything from the closet is now in the laundry basket.

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So it makes sense that people who attempt a 30-day book address such issues in advance by

            * stocking the house with groceries

            * clearing the calendar at work

            * taking the laptop to the laundry room

            * and so on.

(If you have any tips like those, I'm going to ask for them soon.)

Practical planning is important, absolutely. But without the second aspect of productivity, it won't do much good.

What happens next?

It's one thing to tell a 50,000-word story. It's another thing to tell the kind of story that people (who don't know us) will want to read.

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When you look at the total number of authors -- 473 so far -- who've sold or self-published a book they started during National Novel Writing Month, it averages out to just under 28 people a year.

Why so few?

Well, of course not every participant CARES about publishing. All they want is the satisfaction of completing their story, which is certainly something to feel good about.

But what about writers who'd like to see their book read by others?

That's where planning helps.

Veterans already know this. Even if they don't yet know where the story will be published, they have an idea (before they ever start writing) of what kind of story it'll be.

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            * Historical, contemporary, futuristic?

            * Inspirational, mystery, romance?

            * Thriller, fantasy, women's fiction?

            * Children's, YA, new adult?

            * A combination?

Beginning writers sometimes say "I don't know what kind of story this is; I'll let the publisher choose." And sometimes they get lucky, because they've written a story that'll fit perfectly into a specific marketing niche.

Other times, not so much.

What about the plot & characters?

Here, again, not everyone knows from the start who they'll be writing about or what'll happen with those people. "If I knew that," one friend explains, "I wouldn't have any reason to write the story."

So she goes through 15 or 20 drafts, watching her plot and characters take shape, and enjoying the process no matter how long it takes.

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She agrees the process isn't especially productive in terms of getting books to readers, but it satisfies her...and that's what matters.

For people who prefer getting books to readers, though, productivity comes in handy.

Do you know any writers who could use some productivity tools? If so, I've got a free class for them next month.

Why it's free:

Last week's sermon was on sharing your

            * treasures

            * time

            * talent

Mine is pretty much teaching fiction writers. So, knowing I'd be blogging at Seekerville, I realized this would be the perfect place to offer:

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Mention "free class" to anyone who might benefit from Novel Writing Month Prep at WriterUniv.com next month. On Thursday I'll draw names from whoever emails me (Book Laurie [at] gmail.com) they're interested, and 15 of 'em will get a comp for the October 10-21 session.

I promise NOBODY will go onto any kind of email promo list, because that'd be counter to the whole spirit of giving!

And now, a question:

Remember back at the beginning when I asked what kind of tips you've found for improving your productivity? They can be practical or story-related or anything else that comes in handy...I'm looking for items I can quote to people in that October class.

Since everyone finds different things useful, the more choices they see the more likely they'll find something that resonates with them. Our goal here is LOTS of ideas, and repetition is fine because it shows something extra-useful.

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So if you'd be willing to share any tips at all, please do. (Somebody who does will win free registration to "Blurbing Your Book" next June or "That Fatal Flaw" next September.)

And for everyone who comments, here's a big THANK YOU for helping other writers find ways of being more productive!

BIO: Laurie Schnebly Campbell loves being around writers, because nobody else GETS what it's like to spend time building relationships with characters and their stories. When a neighbor who'd written 50,000 words each November admitted she's never yet created a book anyone wants to publish, Laurie developed a "Novel-Writing Month Prep" class for writers who need a few basics -- and this opportunity to blog at Seekerville came along at exactly the right time for sharing it.