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Penelope Redmont writes fun traditional historical romance, romantic mysteries, and other fiction

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July 22, 2020 By penny Leave a Comment

Getting Things Done For Writers: 4 Tips To Increase Your Output

Getting Things Done For Writers: 4 Tips To Increase Your Output

A reader asked about “getting things done for writers”: is there a special strategy for GTD which helps with writing?

(Here’s an article on GTD which has some useful tips.)

We’ve discussed Getting Things Done several times at our writers’ group meetings. Some members are keen on it, others not so much.

Getting things done: create your own Inbox

Over the years, I’ve tried the complete system several times. I have both David Allen’s books. To be honest, what helps me most is the concept of a universal Inbox.

Your “Inbox” isn’t your email inbox. It’s a collection: where you put materials before you organize them. I used to have many notebooks, both digital and paper. I’m a stationery addict, so I still have that, but Evernote is my preferred Inbox.

This article shows how to use Trello in the Inbox process:

I discovered how to make Trello line up perfectly to power my GTD workflow… Trello is especially useful for the “Collect,” “Process,” and “Organize” phases…

1. Writing is thinking: think in your Inbox

Many writers try to write whatever they’re working on straight through. In other words, if you’re writing an article, you write the title, and then plough through the article.

Invariably this leads to unpleasantness. Either the piece doesn’t work: your logic was faulty, so you end up repeating yourself, or you leave out vital information. Or you stall, then you procrastinate: you can’t think of a title, the introduction seems boring, you realize you need more research…

There are a million things which can go wrong when you try to write anything in a single session where your first draft is your only draft.

Find an Inbox for your writing: keep your initial drafts there. I like Evernote, because I can work on early drafts on my phone.

2. Set a goal for each writing session

If you want to write more, set a goal for each piece of writing, and each session.

Set a goal that’s achievable. Trying chunking down projects. For example, if you need to write a webpage, have disparate goals for each writing session.

You might have a single session to research keywords, another to develop a page title, and several sessions where you’re working on the content.

Achieving a goal encourages you to keep going on the project. “Brainstorm ten headlines” sounds like a goal which is easily achievable. “Write a webpage” sounds hard (and boring)—you’ll be tempted to procrastinate.

3. Prewrite using mind maps

It’s hard (almost impossible) to write a project from go to whoa.

From Mind Maps: 5 Tips To Manage Your Goals And Your Life:

What’s making you miserable and holding you back from achievement? Obstacles can be physical — or they might be emotional or mental blocks.

A blank computer screen is a HUGE obstacle.

Mind maps tame writing projects.

4. Discover the magic of zero drafts

Your “zero” draft is the draft before the first draft. It’s just a collection of notes.

After you create a mind map for a project, you can write short notes for each item on the map. Then you can export to Word, or another writing tool, and continue adding notes.

From Sönke Ahrens’ excellent book, How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking:

You can use this pool of notes not only to make writing easier and more fun for yourself, but also to learn for the long run and generate new ideas. But most of all, you can write every day in a way that brings your projects forward.

I love zero drafts. Dream up weird and unusual characters and outrageous scenes. Jot down snippets of dialogue.

A zero draft is all fun, no responsibility.

Please try these tips. When it comes to getting things done for writers, they’re tried and tested.


Tara’s Enchantment – Regency Time Travel Romance, Book 1

Tara’s Enchantment – Regency Time Travel Romance, Book 1

$3.99
Author: Penelope Redmont
Series: Time Travel Regency Romance Trilogy, Book 1
Genre: Regency Romance

A Regency time travel romance... What if you could escape across time, and find your soulmate?

Pure evil dispatches gorgeous Tara Ballantine across the centuries, to Regency England. Tara lands on Adam Jervoise, Earl of Hillingworth -- literally -- as he's riding through a bluebell wood.

Hillingworth is handsome, rich, and kind. He's also set to propose to an heiress.

When Tara realizes that she's falling in love with the earl, she fights the feeling.

More info →
Buy from Barnes and Noble Nook
Buy from Scribd
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The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season

The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season

eBook: $4.99
Author: Penelope Redmont
Series: The Eardleys Of Gostwicke Hall, Book 2
Genre: Regency Romance
Tags: Recommended Books, regency

Her sister Catherine believes that Elaine's hair tells you everything that you need to know about her. It's flame-red. When Sir Oliver Destry trifles with Elaine, she decides on revenge. Elaine soon discovers the truth of the old saying that if you want to make the gods laugh, just tell them your plans.

More info →
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Map It: For Writing Success — Fiction And Nonfiction Outlines Made Easy

Map It: For Writing Success — Fiction And Nonfiction Outlines Made Easy

eBook: $5.99
Author: Angela Booth
Genre: Writing related
Tag: writing

Are you a writer who hates outlines? I did too, until I realize that the inability to outline was crippling my writing career in many different ways.

More info →
Buy from Scribd
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The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season

The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season

Her sister Catherine believes that Elaine's hair tells you everything that you need to know about her. It's flame-red. When Sir Oliver Destry trifles with Elaine, she decides on revenge. Elaine soon discovers the truth of the old saying that if you want to make the gods laugh, just tell them your plans.

More info →
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon Kindle
The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season
Buy now!

Time Travel Regency Romance

Tara’s Enchantment – Regency Time Travel Romance, Book 1

Tara’s Enchantment – Regency Time Travel Romance, Book 1

A Regency time travel romance... What if you could escape across time, and find your soulmate?

Pure evil dispatches gorgeous Tara Ballantine across the centuries, to Regency England. Tara lands on Adam Jervoise, Earl of Hillingworth -- literally -- as he's riding through a bluebell wood.

Hillingworth is handsome, rich, and kind. He's also set to propose to an heiress.

When Tara realizes that she's falling in love with the earl, she fights the feeling.

More info →
Buy This Book Online
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Tara’s Enchantment – Regency Time Travel Romance, Book 1
Buy now!

Molly’s Magic – Regency Time Travel Romance, Book 2

Molly’s Magic – Regency Time Travel Romance, Book 2

At 24, not only is Molly Ballantine stunning, she has two sisters she loves, and a wonderful career. Then her eldest sister Tara vanishes, and her life disintegrates.

Molly's life is about to become even more chaotic. She wakes up in a brothel with a man who's too good-looking for her peace of mind.

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Books from Penelope Redmont

Escape Across Time: Tara, Molly, & Priscilla (Time Travel Regency Romance Trilogy)

Escape Across Time: Tara, Molly, & Priscilla (Time Travel Regency Romance Trilogy)

Love time travel romances and the Regency era?

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Escape Across Time: Tara, Molly, & Priscilla (Time Travel Regency Romance Trilogy)
Buy now!

The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season

The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season

Her sister Catherine believes that Elaine's hair tells you everything that you need to know about her. It's flame-red. When Sir Oliver Destry trifles with Elaine, she decides on revenge. Elaine soon discovers the truth of the old saying that if you want to make the gods laugh, just tell them your plans.

More info →
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon Kindle
The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season
Buy now!

The Major’s Gift: A Sweet Regency Romance Novella

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His One True Passion: Everlasting Regency Romance Series

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