Weekly word count: 6125
I tried something new this week. Usually, I write to the clock. I have 1.5-2 hours to write most weekdays and often it's the alarm that pulls me out and reminds me that I have other things to take care of.
However, over the last month or two, I've noticed that the time seemed to be dragging and I would finish my writing time feeling worn out. This started a cycle where I was slower to start writing, which led to even less productivity.
I think part of it was the timing. I was starting writing at 2 or 2:30 in the afternoon (and 3-4 is just a dead zone for my circadian rhythm). And it's been emotionally exhausting and demanding in my day job for the last six months, so I wasn't exactly starting from a place of "go get 'em, tiger" enthusiasm.
So this week, I asked my day job if I could finish my work at 1 and make up the additional time doing admin work in the evening. I also decided to write to the word count instead of the clock. When I noticed I'd reached 1000 words for the day, that was it, even if I was on a roll.
The result is a much higher word count than I've had at any time in the last two months (outside of the writing retreat, which is always an outlier). I'm going to keep on with this strategy (as long as my day job is comfortable with the split day).
This is something that aspiring authors need to be aware of. Your writing process isn't a fixed thing. What works best will change as you and your circumstances change. Don't be afraid to mix things up if what worked before isn't working now.
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