Now, I’ve been a bit quiet on this blog for a few days but there is a good reason for my temporary absence.

Actually, there are two good reasons. Well, three.

All right, eight.

Eight, if we’re going to be accurate.

First reason: I’ve been reading for the Writing Tips tab. There will be a post coming on that one in the next day or two. For those of you who are bloggers, it is about blogging and you’ll already know most, if not all of it. For those who have found this blog through Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest, it might be a bit useful if you’re thinking of starting a blog.

Second reason: new puppy.

Ping

Isn’t she dreamy?

Reasons three to eight: short stories. For indeed, that’s what I’ll be doing for the next few months. Gird your loins, lovelies. There will be short stories coming out in short order.

You can pre-order the first of them, here:

I know. I’m amazed by my organisational ability, too.
And this is where the first writing tip comes in.
If in doubt, check the Huge, Impressive Glossary of Writing and Publishing Terms -> here… https://petrinabinney.com/writing-glossary/ – which I’ll be updating regularly.
For those of us who write things, or are thinking about writing things, the main problem many of us face is that the people who know us, know us. The rest of the world doesn’t.

Now, there are those who say that the best thing you can do as an unknown or little known writer, is knock out a book every month.

Sleep, and trips to the bathroom, might interfere with this kind of itinerary and no one wants either insomnia or a water infection. Heaven forbid, both.

I am told that there are several ways to accomplish this level of productivity while still managing some form of life.

Option 1: Writing sprints. If you can sit down, distractionless, with your writing implement of choice and, very importantly, without Twitter, Facebook, telephone or daytime TV, and just write for half an hour – take a five minute break and then write for another half-hour, and so on and so on. It is possible to write a good quantity of words in short bursts.

However, quality might suffer, depending on whether you’re a plotter or a pantser.

Option 2: dictation. I know writers who have small children, piles of ironing, menageries of animals and day jobs they hate. If they spent the entire eight minutes a day which they get to themselves on writing, they would be exhausted and start to resent various aspects of their lives. This is not healthy.

However, the use of a dictaphone (for those of us who are a bit old-school) or a recording app on their mobile device makes it quite possible to write while they do other things. I will say, these things that happen at the same time as writing tend not to take too much brain power. You can only split your mind so many times. As such, talking while hanging out the washing – possible. Talking while going over your kid’s science homework – not really possible. Exercise good judgement. I’m not a parent. I can’t tell you what to do.

Option 3: a method I prefer. Stockpiling. Write for a few months. Get a good little pile of stories, even short stories, and prepare yourself for a rapid release.

Rapid release – releasing a book at least once a month for several months, or as long as it takes for a buzz to be generated around your name. Also known as a frightening nightmare of organisation and silence.