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Is Your Writing Best When You Are Busy?

By Michael Stelzner

In the life of a writer, there are usually two stages: extra busy or extra slow.

When my life is busy, it seems there is very little time to spare. The challenges of this world occupy my idle moments.

For example, ushering kids to school, managing lots of projects, rushing for lunch and so on.

When things are slow for me, it seems there’s time to reflect and plan. The burden is lifted for a short while.

So my question to you is this: Do you write the best when you are busy OR when things are slow. And more importantly, why?

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007 at 6:14 am and is filed under Writing White Papers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

  • The only time I need a To-Do list is when I'm not busy. Focusing is easy when the clock and a deadline is forcing maximum efficiency and productivity. But when I have a month to complete a project, it somehow takes a month.
  • I think the difference is in my writing in those times. When I'm busy, I write much more intuitively, without thinking. When I have more time, I self-analyze and self-edit everything as I go.

    When time is shorter, I write more quickly, save the editing for later. Then when I do edit i find myself rewriting a bit. But the funny thing is that the juices seem to flow much better for me with a pending deadline.
  • Hey Jonathan;

    I was surprised at the number of folks who write best when they are busy also,

    However, I have to agree with some of the others. When things are kinda slow, I put off my writing.

    But I agree with you as well, when things are SUPER busy, it's hard to focus and write.

    I think I like some level of busy however.

    Mike
  • Sorry, I have to disagree. When things get extremely busy, there is a tendency on my part to rush projects to completion in order to meet a tight deadline. That creates errors that destroys your credibility.

    I prefer a more balanced schedule. Not too slow and not too busy. The ideal situation is where the client has long lead times that allow me to manage projects on an evenly scheduled basis.
  • I know I write faster when I'm busy and tend to get more done in a shorter period of time. I think my "better" writing, however, comes in the slower times when my focus is on getting it done right, rather than getting it done right now.
  • I am really sorry about that as i used home recording again inadvertently. Please accept my very sincere apologies. Will not happen again.
  • Hi Manya and Matt;

    Thanks for you feedback! It seems pressure is a motivator.

    "Home Recording" If you do not begin using your real name or your business name, I will ban your comments from this site. I changed your name to Audio Mecca, but if you put Home Recording again, it will be the last time we hear of you here. We do not accept comments that are advertisements, and that includes in the name field. Consider this your only warning.

    Mike
  • As corny as it sounds, when I sit down to write, I write. I do not have to be busy or not busy or any other precondition. Since I sit down to write, what other factors could influence the flow of thought or effort?
  • Undoubtedly when I'm busy. When things are slow I find myself creating extra work just to keep myself in the right mind frame.
  • Best when I'm busy. In fact, when I have a writing assignment during a slow time, I find myself procrastinating until the deadline is near enough that there's just enough time to write it. Effectively, making myself busy.

    Why? I think because there are very many ways to tell a story or to write a piece. When I'm busy, I pick a direction to tell the story, write the piece, edit it, and move on. There isn't time to reflect. If I have too much time to write a piece, I'll start to rewrite it, try to tell the story in a new way, or question the way I originally wrote it. Inevitably that leads to a weaker piece.

    Busy or slow, though, the balance is to have (or to make) enough time to write the piece, walk away from it and reflect on the writing, edit and rewrite just enough to improve it, and call it complete.
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