The Soul of a Dragon is off to ARC readers and I'm busy in the background getting things ready for the pre-order. I'll post the pre-order later this month. I have one spot for a proofreader open if anyone is interested.

Apart from the usual "why is Anuka naked so much?" question, I am most asked about the writing process. In a recent email, a Team Member asked about writing fast. I think it was a stealthy way of asking why I write so slowly, but I had some tips, nonetheless.

Distractions - A big one for me is to eliminate all distractions. I wear over-ear noise cancelling headphones when I write. They aren't plugged in. Don't even have an audio cord attached. This helps me block out the world around me. I also close my web browsers and discord so I'm not tempted to check social media or comment on a post. Having a distraction-free word processor helps. I use Scrivener, but there are things like Write or Die that are minimalistic and can help you focus. Some authors I know use a device like Freewrite to help them.

It's a neat little device that harkens back to the typewriter era.

Don't stop - One of the keys to writing fast is to keep going. If you make a typo or don't like something you've written, fix it later. Keeping your stream of consciousness flowing is a big help. This discipline will make writing go faster and improve the flow of your story. Your aim with the first draft is to get your ideas on paper and arrange them later.

Commit to a schedule - Schedule your writing time like you would a doctor appointment or attending an important appointment. Guard your time. Once you begin to value this time, block your mind will relax and be more creative.

Finally, I recommend a book by Chris Fox called 5,000 Words Per Hour: Write Faster, Write Smarter This short book helped me learn some of these things and more. If you are serious about writing, you will need to get good at writing fast. This book can help.

Book Rec's

The book I'm recommending this week is Side Quest by Rocco Levitas. The cover looks fantastic, and the author is selling it directly. I like it when the billion-dollar corporation can be removed from the writer-reader equation. Enjoy!

Side Quest