9 Tips for Forging a Write Chain

The first thing to point out that this blog post is not about how to write. I’m a big believer in the maxim that the only two pieces of advice you should give to writers are read and write, write and write some more.

Writing is an incredibly personal experience: some people listen to music, others don’t; some write on laptops, some by pen. And quite impossibly someone writes whilst being chased by a ravenous pack of wolves, and if you do, I take my proverbial hat off to you.

The other thing to make clear is the difference between NaNoWriMo and Write Chain. NaNo is about writing about 1,667 words each day, trying to write a novel in a month. As you will likely know, that is an emotional, knackering and tormenting battle against your inner editor and when you complete it, it takes a lot out of you. Write Chain is simply about making sure you write each day. It could be a journal, blog post, letters, news articles—anything your heart desires. And you could dip in and out of several projects each day. It’s completely up to you.

I’ve tried to compile some tips for anyone wanting or currently undertaking the Write Chain Challenge.

Tip 1:

Set a reasonable target

As I’ve said, this is not NaNo. The target you set is your choice, and your choice alone. Look at your average week and work out how much time you have free on each day. You may have say 4 hours on Monday, but only 1 hour on Friday. Setting a target that will be impossible on Friday is pointless. Work out how much you can write in an hour and use that as a guide.

The target should be a realistic challenge, but one you will be able to achieve week in, week out, with all the problems writers have. Also, remember that that chain target is flexible. Right now I’m trying to get my WIP edited by the end of December—so mine is 1,500 edited words. It started out as just 300.

Tip 2:

Use Twitter

Twitter is a writer’s best friend. You will find lots and lots of writers you can write with, gaining motivation and help and advice. I would say 90% of the time I write, I’m on Twitter and the countless writing friends I’ve made there is incredible.

You will find sprints going on most days, including the legendary Friday Write Club. If you use the hashtag #sprintdaily and continuously check @TheSprintShack, any time you have problem with motivation, there will be a friendly writer ready to help you. I promise you that if you don’t want to write—someone will badger you into writing.

Tip 3:

Don’t use Twitter

Yes, I know, contradiction. What I mean is when you are writing during a sprint, don’t use Twitter. The problem with Twitter it is continuously updating with funny pictures, awesome videos and incredible blog posts. It is so easy to find yourself doing a procrastination sprint, rather than a writing sprint. Use reading a blog as a reward for doing an awesome sprint full of wonderful words.

Tip 4:

Routine, routine, routine

This is exactly what Write Chain is all about. It’s getting yourself writing each day. So get used to having a time in your diary solely devoted to writing. This sounds obvious, but with all those distractions it can be hard to get going.

Plan around the wonderful TV shows you have (remember: On Demand is your friend) and your reading time and your social life. But always make sure you have that hour. Writing should become part of your routine. Once you get into your twenty links, you find this starts to become second nature.

Tip 5:

Failure is not catastrophic

Write Chain is not a competition. It’s not about getting to the line first; it’s about regular writing. If you stop at 6 links, that is still a brilliant achievement. Next time, learn from it and get 7. It’s the first two weeks that I found the most challenging. And remember we all have problems and issues that come up. We all get ill, we all have crises and we all have days when we have self-doubt. But if you don’t write on that day, look back at all those links you’ve achieved, and be proud of your achievement.

Tip 6:

Understand yourself

One of the hardest things in writing is starting your sprint. The siren calls from the internet and your everyday loves can be very hard to ignore. So, try to come up with ways to get you writing quickly the next day. What I often do is leave bullet points of what I want to write next, so I remember the ideas. How you do this is up to you.

Tip 7:

Always carry a notebook

You never know when the muse or ideas will strike you, whether it’s whilst you’re shopping, walking or out in a pub with your friends. Having a notebook doesn’t necessarily mean you stop everything and write 1,000 words, but it gives you a chance to note down your idea.

Tip 8:

Your Inner Editor is your friend

Unlike NaNo where the battle is to continuously distract your Inner Editor with sticks and treats. Write Chain allows your editor to participate in your writing. Your target can be met editing a passage a couple of times.

Tip 9:

Plan ahead

Be aware of distractions. If you have a night out or a film to see, or a pub quiz or party, always make sure you include a space for writing (I know this sounds incredibly patronising, but it is the easiest way to stop your run). Or remember if you have coursework, or lots of work, reducing your write-chain target is okay. Your target should fit your life and commitments.

Whether you are about to start, or you’ve been participating in the Write Chain Challenge, then I hope these tips provide some help!