By Saffron Bryant

Ask almost any successful indie author and they will tell you that the secret to that success is to publish more books. There are three good reasons for that:

1. An extensive backlist means that when a new reader finds you, you have a lot of products to offer them, meaning more money in the bank.
2. The more you write, the more you improve.
3. The more titles you have, the greater your chances are of having a breakout success.

That’s all well and good in theory, but if you’re struggling to write one book a year, then you are going to find it extremely hard to keep up with the authors who put out six or even twelve books in the same space of time. So, to put you back in the game – and help you improve as an author – here are three tricks to instantly increase your writing speed.

1. Increase your typing speed

This may seem obvious, but many people skip over it. If your typing speed is stuck at 40 words per minute, then the maximum output you can achieve is 2400 words an hour. And let’s face it, you’re not going to be typing at your top speed for that whole hour.
There are heaps of online games and exercises to help increase your typing speed. Make a commitment now to spend at least fifteen minutes a day doing these exercises and you’ll soon find it easier to hit your word goals.

2. Remove distractions

Distractions are burning your writing time away and if you are serious about improving, then you have to get rid of them.
Is your cat walking on your keyboard? Lock it in the bathroom while you write.
Do you keep getting Facebook notifications? Put your devices on aeroplane mode.
It is vital that you take this step seriously. Take an honest look at what distracts you while you write. To increase your speed you must get into the ‘zone’, and you can’t do that if you’re checking Facebook every five minutes.

3. Outline First

I can hear all the pantsers screaming and wailing. Too bad. I challenge you to compare how quickly you can write ‘a scene’ without an outline of any sort, to how quickly you can write about ‘a smoky bar room, in the corner of which sits a man – Jack, with a broad hat and dark eyes’. The more detailed your outline, the faster you will be able to write each scene.

Bonus Tip: When you’re outlining your scene, brainstorm for sight, sound, taste, smell and touch. That way, not only will you be able to write faster, you’ll be certain that you’ve described all the senses.

Good luck, and get writing!

Saffron Bryant

Saffron Bryant is an Australian science fiction and fantasy author with more than twenty books. When she’s not writing or reading, she can usually be found in a laboratory, having recently completed a PhD in chemistry. She is a proud member of many fandoms, from Doctor Who to The Lord of the Rings, and hopes to provide similar entertainment through her own stories. Find out more about Saffron at: www.saffronbryant.com