A Run For the Word Count

Once upon a time someone wrote a song about the number 'one' being a lonely number. They may have been talking about love and relationships but the same can be said about writers. We are a rather lonely lot when you think about it. I suppose most creative people tend to work alone. Letting the creative part of the brain run rampant allows us to form certain ideas but it isn't always enough. Sometimes we need help to keep us going.

I first heard the term "sprinting" a couple years ago. Of course, I knew the term had to do with short distance foot races but this time it had a different connotation. Someone came up with the idea of getting a group of writers together to sprint. The idea was never meant to be a contest and it isn't. It's a means of focusing on the work at hand and writing for short periods of time.

Some 'lonely' writers can shut out all distractions, focus on their work in progress and do quite well. Ninety-nine percent of the time ... I'm not one of them. My creative thoughts have a bad habit of wandering when they shouldn't, much like a curious child's habit of wandering off when the parent isn't looking.

So this concept of sprinting caught my attention and I decided to check it out. The idea is to write for thirty to forty-five minutes (or whatever length of time you decide on) nonstop then take a break that can vary anywhere from five to fifteen minutes depending on the length of the sprint. The break gives you a chance to recharge your batteries so you can start again. Usually our group opts to write for forty-five minutes. For each sprint we keep track of our word count. It encourages you to keep striving toward your goal. It's amazing how much can be done in that span of time and if you sprint several times in a day, the word count can be tremendous.

Personally, I found it a great way to keep me focused on what I'm working on. By the end of the day, I've tripled my work compared to what I might have accomplished as a lonely one.

Writers are always looking for ways to increase productivity, especially if they're up against a deadline. Wandering thoughts have their place in the beginning, and sometimes further along the the creative process. But there comes a point when you need to focus on those all-important details and descriptions. In the long run there is a method to our madness.

Sprint, anyone?