Leanne Phillips

My writing day is filled with interruptions, most of them welcomed, but interruptions nonetheless. From the telephone ringing, to e-mails and instant messages, to checking in on writing message boards and job listings, to the sudden thought that I need to run the mail downstairs before the mailman comes–the interruptions are constant and never-ending.

As a writer, it is important to set aside uninterrupted writing time each day. I find my writing day goes much more smoothly when I turn the telephone ringer off, let the answering machine pick up, shut off the e-mail notifications, let messages pile up in my in-box for just a bit, and focus totally and completely on my writing, even if it’s only for a couple of hours.

When I am interrupted, it is not just the moment of the interruption that is at stake. It is several moments afterward as well, the moments it takes me to remember where I was, to get my mind back to that magical place, and to pick up where I left off.

If you are a writer and you want to increase your productivity, I highly recommend giving yourself uninterrupted writing time each day. Set aside time for answering telephone calls, answering e-mail and running errands, but let your writing time be totally and completely your writing time.