Productivity enhancement

[dragonbloodink.livejournal.com]

I'm writing in a very basic word processor that doesn't have word counts or pages. I find that not knowing, or being able to check how much I've written without copypasteing it keeps me focused more on *what* I'm writing, not how much.

Thought I'd toss it out there in case it might help anyone else.

Comments

[beccathornhill.livejournal.com]

This is very good advice. When I ignore the word count at the bottom of the Word page, I'm far more productive.

[rhinogirl.livejournal.com]

Absolutely agree. Wish I could figure out how to turn off word count in MS Word. I always work with Spelling and Grammar turned off because it is so distracting, and only spell check when I am done.

Another great productivity enhancer I found is Freedom (for the Mac - there is a similar program for PC). It disconnects you from the internet for a set period of time. You can't turn it off without rebooting. Since I am very distractable, I love it.

[in_excelsis_dea.livejournal.com]

Do you know what the PC version is? I would LOVE to have that program. It wouldn't be much help for NaNo because I'm doing a lot of research at the moment. But it would be an absolute life saver for everything else in my life because the internet is just too dang addicting.

[rhinogirl.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about addicting. I've heard that there is a comparable program to Freedom for the PC, but I can't find it at the moment. I did find some others that block more specific functions.

RescueTime (http://www.rescuetime.com) - lets you block specific parts of the web for specific times

MeeTimer (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5168) - Firefox add-on that lets you monitor where you are spending time and curtail it.

[eddiesteddy4711.livejournal.com]

Really? Because the way I keep myself going is checking that word count after every couple of paragraphs and going "Write another hundred." Write. Check. Write. Check. Until I've reached a thousand.

[dragonbloodink.livejournal.com]

But think about all the time you're wasting with all those pauses! ;)

Nah, just kidding. If it works for you, go with it. I just thought this might help people who find the constant temptation to check word count interrupts their flow. I find that I get interested in the scene I'm writing, and want to keep writing till I finish it, and often when I do check my word counts at the end of the scene, I'm as much as 1,000 words beyond what I thought I had. It's a nice little rewarding surprise. :)

[eddiesteddy4711.livejournal.com]

If I get really into a scene, I don't waste time checking my word count. XD But if I'm working through a necessary scene that I don't quite feel like writing, that's what I use to keep myself going.

The reason I do that is because I cannot skip around and write out of order - if I do that, I never go back and fill in. So I have to discipline myself to write through the stuff I'm working on when I'd rather write another scene.