Write Better At Work

  • Home
  • Books
    • Write More, Stress Less
    • Write Better Emails
    • Write to Be Understood
    • Write to Get Action
  • Free Tools
    • Whitepapers
    • Quizzes
    • Checklists
    • Email Etiquette
  • Consulting
  • Blog
    • Becoming a better leader using an authentic voice
  • About
  • Contact

Habits of the Most Productive Writers: Avoid Binge Writing

December 31, 2016 by Cecelia

Many people assume that writing is best done in long, unbroken blocks of time. Some writers may have that kind of stamina, but few people have the time or endurance to write for hours at a stretch.

Fortunately, the time you have available to write is less important than whether you

• write often

• set concrete goals

• track your progress

Psychologist Robert Boice found that if you write nearly every day, even 15 minutes can be productive. Some writers prefer to work for half an hour, an hour, or even two hours. Your limit should be how much you can do without tiring. Boice advises, “Don’t let writing become so fatiguing that you don’t feel like coming back.”

In a 1990 study, Boice asked writers who usually scheduled big blocks of writing time to work in shorter, more regular sessions. Compared to “binge writers” who wrote for hours whenever they felt inspired, the slow-but-steady authors produced four times as many pages. Those who wrote more frequently also reported getting new ideas more often.

Even more dramatic gains were achieved by those who wrote frequently and charted their progress. Those who also reported their progress to a writing buddy or supervisor were by far the most productive.

Writing Schedule in Boice’s 1990 Study

Average Yearly Output

  Binge writing (write whenever I feel like it)                 17 pages
  Write daily; keep progress chart                 64 pages
  Write daily; keep progress chart; report progress               157 pages

 

Notes:

A summary of Robert Boice’s research on Habits of Research Productivity can be found in Gail Sullivan’s “So You Want to Write? Practices that Work.“ 

This blog entry is an excerpt from Write More, Stress Less: From Getting Ideas to Getting It Done.

  • facebook Recommend on Facebook
  • linkedin Share on Linkedin
  • twitter Tweet about it
  • email Tell a friend

Filed Under: Drafting, Productivity, Writing

Cecelia Munzenmaier
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Subscribe

Get alerts to new book launches and more in your inbox when you subscribe to Write Better At Work.

Sign up for Updates

* = required field

Books

Book: Write More Stress Less
Order Now

Book: Write Better Emails
Order Now

write-to-be-understood
Order Now

write-to-get-action
Order Now

Copyright © Write Better At Work. All Rights Reserved.
Website Development by HTML Marketing
Photos by Kevin Riggins Photography

  • follow:follow:
  • Sign up for emails Sign up for emails
  • RSS RSS
  • Tweet with me Tweet with me