While she was writing her first book, Dolly Alderton was a busy journalist and broadcaster with one of the top podcasts in the UK and several newspaper and magazine columns. As she topped the bestseller list with her memoir, she crammed writing a novel alongside increasing high profile demands. Now committed to ‘creative monogamy’ Alderton couldn’t be happier.
Work-life-writing balance is a challenge many people face. We’re currently in the middle of our summer bootcamps, where we coach writers to reset their relationship to writing. I was struck by how many juggle multiple goals and struggle whether to single-task or multi-task. And, crucially, what that means for how they manage their time and attention.
Project monogamy or polygamy?
Cal Newport argues that ‘Deep Work’ is a superpower in this age of distraction. Having the ability to focus on a cognitively demanding task - like writing - leads to high value output, a sense of meaning and fulfilment. You can read an overview of deep work on his blog.
But, is monogamy the answer? Not according to Tim Harford, who makes the case for slow motion multi-tasking. He found that many of the most prolific and innovative scientists, had several projects on the go at once, switching topics “43 times in their first 100 research papers.” Watch his TED Talk or read the transcript online.
With evidence supporting both, should you opt for writing monogamy or polygamy? We encourage writers to run experiments to find out. Make like a scientist, test out a hypothesis, gather data and figure out what works for you, right now, in the busyness of your life.
If you want to fast track your writing practice, why not join one of our 7-Day Writing Sprints - structured programmes which help you push forward your project in a week.
Free to join, you get coaching tips from us and access to a friendly community.
Freewriting can often have a hint of the woo-woo about it. However, academic research into writing productivity has consistently found that it’s one of the most effective ways to overcome a block.
Freewriting is simply writing by hand without stopping or reading back and most importantly without judging. Use it as a warm-up ahead of a writing session or whenever your get stuck or blocked – it helps brainstorm ideas, find connections and deal with tricky questions that are holding you back.
Go pro and add 'looping'
While freewriting is a great way to limber up your creative muscles, looping deepens your exercise. After your freewrite, read over what you have written to look for a word or a phrase that really sticks out for you.
Use that as a prompt to trigger another round of freewriting. Use this technique of ‘looping’ three or four times to really explore what you are trying to say.
“If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favour you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy.”
While journalists and bloggers get us to automate, optimise, and life hack our way into habits, Professor Wood has been leading research that uncovers what really goes on. An early finding that 43% of our daily actions are habitual, ie performed without conscious thought, led to the breakthrough that any behaviour can become a habit. Her book shows you how.
Habit is a mental association between a context cue and a response that develops as we repeat an action in that context for a reward.
Wood’s working definition of a habit might lack the finesse of more popular takes, but it provides a robust route for behaviour change. Heavy on research but written in an accessible and friendly tone, Wood tell us to stop trying so hard. “Challenge” she writes, “is not the point. No pride in forming habits in the teeth of resistance. Remove the friction, set the right driving forces and let the good habits roll into your life.”
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Breakthroughs & Blocks is an email newsletter from writing productivity coaches Bec Evans and Chris Smith, co-founders of Prolifiko.
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