3 Ways to Write Faster Drafts
In many of my workshops, I poll the participants and ask them: are you a Type A writer or a Type B writer?
Type A writers typically write rapidly and in great volume, and then have to do extensive revising and editing.
Type B writers draft slowly, agonizing over every word, and frequently revise each sentence before moving on to the next.
Which one are you?
Most of the professionals I work with claim that they’re Type B writers. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is a habit that needs to be broken!
Writing and editing require different types of cognition, so trying to combine them isn’t very efficient for your brain—plus, you’re more likely to miss typos and other errors. Though some people combine these steps without thinking, others claim they’re shaving time off of the writing process. They’re just trying to get through the task quicker.
But that’s not what’s actually happening. Humans aren’t very good at multitasking; rather, we task-switch. And when we switch rapidly back and forth between tasks, our productivity decreases dramatically—by about 40%, researchers estimate. We are essentially distracting ourselves repeatedly, and struggling to refocus every time.
Humans are much more productive when we focus on one task at a time: writing, and then editing. Separating out these steps will actually make you more efficient and productive.
Writing and editing together is a hard habit to break, though. I recommend tricking yourself into it.
Here’s the secret: if you can’t see the words as you write them, you’re less likely to revise them as you go. You’re more likely just to get your thoughts down and move on. There are a few things you can try:
Tape a piece of paper over your computer screen while you draft. (Yes, really!)
Use voice-to-text software to “write” your draft verbally.
Set timers to gamify the experience. Write as much as you can in 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 15 minutes, and when the timer goes off, take a short break. Repeat until the draft is done.
When you’re finished, it’s true that your draft will look messier than you’re used to. But don’t worry—with these excellent tools and tips for self-editing, you’ll have it reader-ready in no time.