By Gloria Lloyd (Wonderful member of the Guild)

As writers, we seek the holy grail of productivity. Researching how to get more words on paper is a time-tested procrastination technique to avoid writing. Aren’t brains great? This is short though, so stick with me as I share my favorite tips. However, nothing works for everyone, so take what resonates and ignore the rest.

I’m a night owl and always believed that I do my best writing long after the sun sets. This year, I started following Becca Syme, a success coach for authors. One of her basic tenets is to Question the Premise or QTP. So, I wondered… Am I a vampire writer? Or do I wind up working late because I “clear the decks” by completing all my other work and household tasks first? Why do I feel the need to do that? Cue the dreaded Existential Writer Crisis! Did I believe I had to finish something productive before I could indulge in a creative pursuit? Was I failing to prioritize my writing—and myself?

Questioning the premise of my nighttime keyboarding schedule allowed me to reevaluate my priorities and personal habits. Please recall the earlier caveat that your mileage may vary, but here are two deceptively simple changes that transformed my productivity:

Morning Scribbles. I adore fancy journals but feared they required deep thoughts in flowing calligraphy-level cursive. Unfortunately, my handwriting stinks, and I never found the right pen. QTP: Does journaling have to be like that for everyone? Instead, I lowered the bar. All the way. Now, I scribble something in a notebook every morning. Each entry is totally illegible, super short, and centered on a daily writing goal like drafting a new scene or revising a chapter. This primes my creative pump and helps prevent the “uh, what next?” issue upon opening my manuscript. Even on a busy day, I can reread a scene that needs more tension over lunch and then brainstorm solutions while walking the dog. But I wouldn’t have accomplished that small task without setting a specific intention early on.

No Social Media Before Noon. Don’t come at me! That might sound impossible, and depending on your work and family commitments, maybe it is, but some variation could be helpful for everyone. QTP: Is there anything truly urgent on social media? How many hours do you lose scrolling random posts or watching “just one more” reel? I’m not suggesting to never enjoy it (Tom Holland’s Umbrella is my personal Roman Empire), but keep in mind that these apps are engineered to capture eyeballs. Once I succumb, it kicks off a cycle of checking all day. Wake up? Pick up my phone. Sit down at the keyboard to write? Pop on MyFaveApp real quick before opening Scrivener. Channeling Becca Syme again—REAL QUICK IS A LIE. Avoiding social media in the morning can disrupt that pattern. To be honest, it’s harder than I expected, and sometimes I click out of habit. But this seemingly arbitrary goal helps me spend fewer minutes on the apps and more in my manuscript.

I’m still a night owl at heart, but now I also write more words earlier in the day. Scribbling over a cup of tea and defending precious writing time from my arch nemesis, Marky McMinuteStealer, has made a tremendous difference for me. If you’d like to learn more about Becca Syme’s approach, check out Better-Faster Academy. While she offers coaching and classes, there are TONS of free or low-cost resources available to find what works for you.

A final thought… Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good. We all have less-than-optimal days. But remember, tomorrow is a new dawn and another opportunity to write. Even for night owls.

Gloria Lloyd is a fantasy writer, proud rainbow mom, and lover of tea (Earl Grey, hot). She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and a canine keyboarding companion named Rory. With support from the Guild and many others, she recently embarked on a query quest with her first adult contemporary fantasy novel. For updates, please follow Gloria on Instagram and Blue Sky, or sign up for a sporadic newsletter on her website.