Daily Archives: March 8, 2016

Editor, Black Velvet Seductions

I think I can safely assume that all writers want to be more productive. If you happen to be one who doesn’t, then feel free to click close now.

Okay, so most of you stayed. How did I know that most of you would stay here? Would you believe I’m clairvoyant? No?

I don’t need to be clairvoyant to know that you’d still be reading because I know writers want to write. If you sit on the couch and watch Ellen, you are a watcher, not a writer. If you eat bags of chocolate kisses, you are an eater, not a writer. If you sit at a computer and stare at the screen, you are a starer; you are not a writer. (Sorry, if that hurts. Read on for the salve to solve that situation.)

Writers produce writing, coherent words on a screen (paper). If you are happy averaging one hundred words a day, then I suggest you stop reading here. If you want to write more, lots more, then continue, please.

Becoming a more productive writer involves many actions and a few attitudes. Here are a few of both.

Actions:

If you were on a deserted island with only your computer with a fully charged battery, would you write or would you play Solitaire until the battery discharged? (Solitaire players may stop reading and get back to their games. I apologize for the interruption.)

Do those close to you know you write?

Do you have a place just for you and your writing?

Do you write every day?

Do you keep track of your time and words every time your write?

Do you play Solitaire when you are writing blocked, or do you still write something, anything?

Attitudes:

Is writing fun or a chore?

Do you think you deserve to take time out of your day and from your other responsibilities to write?

What’s more important to you? The huge advance you’ll receive with the sale of your book? Finishing that book your family didn’t believe you would ever complete? Releasing your characters from the purgatory of your mind to see the light of a computer screen?

That salve I said I would share with you? This is it – my workshop titled Speed Writing – What Plan Works Best for You? You’ll learn how to form a habit of writing, learn to keep track of your productivity for accountability, learn to deal with issues—those inside you and outside of you. That’s just for starters.

It seems that hundreds of people have written books on increasing speed and word count. I’ll share information from many authors who have increased their word count to several thousand a day or even an hour. I’ll give you another author’s plan to write a novella in twenty-four hours and another author’s plan to write a book in nine days.

The beauty of this workshop is that I have done all the research for you. All you have to do to take the information and see which system works best for you.

I hope you will join me.

MM Pollard

About MM Pollard

As an English teacher for fifteen years and, currently as editor for Black Velvet Seductions and the MM in Workshops with MM, MM Pollard has helped writers correct ungrammatical grammar, misused usage, problematic punctuation, and poor writing. Check out Testimonials on her blog, MM’s Fundamentals of English. While you are there, sign up for her monthly newsletter and even look at previous newsletters.

MM began presenting workshops four years ago and has presented on many sites, including her own. Many RWA chapters, including From the Heart RWA, RWA Online, OCC/RWA, Passionate Ink, Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal RW, Maryland RWA, and Florida RW, have also sponsored her workshops. In February, 2015, she presented at FRW’s Fun in the Sun Conference, and her dream come true!

Through her fun workshops—English class can be fun!—MM is sure she can help you, too, master the fundamentals of English composition.