Tip 12: Master planned spontaneity
No time to write? Try spontaneous writing - also called snacking, toggling and using time confetti it's a great approach if you're busy, over scheduled or unpredictable.
Hi there and a happy Monday,
Being planned and spontaneous at the same time does sound a bit of a contradiction - you can’t be both at the same time surely?
I’m here to convince you that you can.
Be ready, be prepared
Spontaneous writing is often used by people who have unpredictable or packed calendars. When you practice this method you get used to writing at the drop of a hat.
In many ways, planned spontaneity is more of a state of mind. Writers who use this method become attuned to using any opportunity to write, making the most of delayed trains, cancelled meetings and sleeping children.
The key to using the method successfully is about being prepped and ready.
Have a list of short tasks to work on and have your notebook, laptop or a phone app with you. When an opportunity arrives, don’t hesitate or procrastinate.
After a few weeks, review when and where you wrote. You might spot patterns and be able to create a more predictable habit.
Spontaneous writers dip into their work-in-progress frequently, and this method allows them to get going quickly and let go as needed. If you try this method, we’d love to know. Where could you squeeze in a few minutes of writing into your busy day?
Take care and keep writing,
Chris and Bec
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I’ve been doing this for years now. Without knowing it had a name. I began by intending to have an every morning writing practice, often without knowing what I’d write about. I always have 4 projects in progress, so I would just pick one, start my Pomodoro timer and go! These are my chapters, and often when I leave them and go back to them much later, I can’t believe how good they are.
I think, no, I know this is me. A huge part of the writing practice I've developed has been less about frequency than removing barriers to writing and developing a writing muscle that can spring into action when I need/want it to which sometimes isn't when I've written it down in my diary. E.g. I write on my phone, always have a pen and notebook to hand, and always have a rough plan of what I want to work on for the week ahead which gives me wriggle room if the brain and body are struggling. I was just reading https://esmewwang.substack.com/ piece about (not) writing every day and it really struck a chord.