Working in Bulk

Whenever I finish writing something, the last thing I want to do is keep writing. My brain says, "work's done. Go kick back and relax." The problem is that I get this thought after everything I write, even a warm-up exercise.

As I've said in the past, writing is a demanding activity. It is physically and mentally draining. Finishing a piece of writing is a definite accomplishment. But it's really just the beginning. When you finish a writing exercise, you are just warmed up. That puts you into writing mode. That's when you have to start a new project or continue on your next one.

Usually, though, when I am writing and get into a groove, I get ideas for other things I want to work on. As such, when I finish my first project, I like to hop right on to the next. The beauty of working in bulk is that it is so much more efficient. When you finish writing and then take a break, you have to warm up again and find the groove again. Once you're in the mood to write, just keep writing.

There is one exception that I have to this rule, and that is entries for this blog. There are times where I am writing one entry and get ideas for three more. Although I would like to write them all out in one sitting, I choose not to. There are two reasons for it. One is that I want every entry to be fresh from the day I made it. I feel like it is more genuine. The other reason is that this blog acts partly as a writing exercise. I don't want to spend all my energy on my warm-ups and then have other days where I have nothing that gets me started on my bigger projects.

In general, you should always write as much as you can. Work in bulk and then you'll only have to get ready to write once. It is always tempting to stop working after every step. But just like anything else that is worth doing, it is hard work and the best rewards will come from sicking with it and doing as much as you can.