I don’t consider myself to be a writer, but (I think) I would like to change that. For a year or so now, I’ve had an idea for a book (and a few other projects) but haven’t been able to get the words down on paper.
This project in particular is intensely personal (it’s a manifesto of my approach to fathering), but it requires me to do a significant amount of research and study to put into words how I think. That’s both part of the goal–I want to expose inconsistencies and omissions in my thinking–and the most difficult part. I’ve tried to spend a little bit of time a few days a week (in addition to a full-time job and family time), but I always seem to just get going when I’ve had to stop.
Knowing the way I think and work, I’ve thought the solution would be to lock myself away for a few days and just write. That way, I could get the “hard stuff” out of the way and at least have the main content on paper and spend a few hours per week revising and adding.
Well, an opportunity came up for me to give that a try. So I’ll be staying in a hotel for 4 days while (I hope) inspiring myself at night attending a short film festival. I don’t get these chances very often, so I want to make the most of it. To that end, then, I have a few questions for writers.
1. Have you used this approach? How did it work out?
2. Are there certain parts of the process that are more suitable for the “burst” approach than others?
3. What should I be doing in advance to be prepared to be most effective?
4. Have you found a “sweet spot” for how often to take breaks for most efficiency? Are there “I need to walk away” signs? How do you make sure it’s a break, not procrastination? (I expect this to be different for everyone, but I’d also expect to see similarities.)
5. Any other ideas/suggestions?
Of course, most importantly, I also envy your prayers that my time would be productive. I know that I’ll be most effective when I’m most reliant on Him.