by Rachel D. Russell, @RDRussellWrites

NaNoWriMo is approaching. Is it time to adjust the speed dial on your writing?

With the ease of a mouse click and a delete button, today we can fix-on-the-fly and, unfortunately, this is one of the very advances that slows writing down.

The word processor tool, whether you write in Scrivener, Word, or any other program, makes it entirely too easy to read what you’ve written. Ponder it. Dissect it for goodness and, maybe even greatness. And, deciding it isn’t all you desire it to be, you grab the mouse. You place the curser back on the virtual page, and you start rewriting.

All forward progress ceases.

Enter Rachel Hauck, who said, “Let your fast draft be dry, barren land.”

It’s the first draft. Allow it to be a terrible, no-good, very bad draft with these simple techniques to get your story onto the page in less time.

1. You don’t have to share your first draft with anyone else. Not your best friend. Not your coworkers. Definitely not your readers. It is for your eyes only. Take the pressure off yourself and produce writing on the first pass that no one else will see.
2. Don’t allow yourself to go back and rewrite anything that came before. If that means turning off your monitor so you can’t read it, then turn off your monitor. No matter how much finessing you try to do as you go, you’ll still have to rewrite the whole book. Save yourself time and get the story down first.
3. Keep a notepad next to you and make note of any future thoughts you have on edits. Don’t try to go back and fix them now. You will start a domino effect, continually setting up and knocking down the entire series of events as you end up rewriting your rewrites before you’ve even reached the last page.

4. Use placeholder words to keep writing. Can’t remember the color of a character’s eyes? Come up with something like “EYECOLOR” to fill in for now. (Unique, huh?) I do this with names, locations—essentially anything I can’t think of in the moment. I might even type “ENTERMEDICALINJURYCAREHERE” if I need to later research how I’ll discuss a search and rescue scene with technical accuracy. I like to use all caps so it stands out in my draft later when I’ve actually reached the editing process.
5. Grant yourself grace. Fear of failure seems to be at the root of self-criticism. Because we feel so familiar with stories and the act of writing, we can place upon ourselves great expectations. Don’t. Allow yourself the freedom to write something that isn’t publishable on first passing.
6. Set a timer. Work in time blocks of 30 minutes to an hour. Find your secret-sauce time chunk that works best for you and do nothing else during that period. Maximize your focus by scheduling several blocks into your day. 
7. Turn off all social media notifications. Nothing is going to happen in the next 30 minutes that requires your immediate attention—and if it does, they can call you on the phone. Don’t let notifications of posts and emails bog you down and rob your time. 

What’s your favorite technique to turn off your self-editor while you’re in fast-drafting mode?

The Ultimate Wellness Journal for Women

This isn’t another diet and exercise journal. If you’ve struggled with weight gain, irritability, fatigue, insomnia or other symptoms, it’s important to track lifestyle factors that affect our hormonal and metabolic processes. Use this journal to start listening to your body and discovering correlations between a variety of lifestyle factors and your symptoms. This eight-week comprehensive journal will help you track your patterns in sleep, non-exercise activity, exercise, body temperature, nutrition, mood, light, and more.

Rachel D. Russell writes contemporary inspirational romance filled with action and adventure. Set in Oregon, her stories incorporate the diverse and rugged landscape of the state and focus on redemption, hope, and healing. She’s enjoyed a long career in the federal government and has also become a prolific freelance writer and novelist. Rachel graduated from Southern Oregon University with a Bachelor of Science in biology, chemistry minor. She draws on her previous law enforcement experience and her love of the outdoors to craft her stories.  Rachel lives in Oregon with her husband and sons. Her hobbies include horseback riding and holistic health. Learn more about her writing journey and upcoming books at RachelDRussell.com. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and here wellness blog SoulSparkPublication.com.