Don’t Burn out the Candle. Leave a Little Bit of Flame to Light Your Way

I try to write five to six days out of the week, and I typically try NOT to write for hours and hours on end. It is simply not productive for me to burn myself out trying to be a picturesque slave to the keys. Toward the end of each writing session, I lay the groundwork for the following session. Sometimes this means beginning an idea and not completing it. The trick is to show my brain that there is always more to do and that writing is pleasurable. When I sit down for the next session, I don’t have to spend time getting situated and thinking about what comes next. I already know what comes next! Sometimes it is as simple as deciding, “I am going to write x scene tomorrow.” Sometimes it’s deciding that the chapter I “finished” does not have enough tension. I might think of three ways that tension could be added, and list them out. The next session, I will sit down and begin to write those pieces and integrate them into my chapter. This list  is like a little bit of light, guiding me out of one session and into the next.  You want to make it so that your brain is excited to write and be creative. Writing should not be seen as torture or pain. Enjoy it and infuse it with your excitement.