Want to supercharge your writing productivity but feel like you struggle to concentrate when you sit down to write?
It can be hard for us writers to find time to write in the first place, but when we finally do manage to carve out those precious hours, it is very frustrating when we can’t stay focused on our writing.
Enter Anthony Trollope.
One of the most successful novelists of the Victorian era, Trollope figured out a daily writing routine that had him churning out books with astounding speed. Over the course of 35 years, he wrote 47 novels as well as many short stories, nonfiction books, and plays.
Even more impressive, he did all this while working a demanding job as a post office inspector. His job required him to travel often and keep a busy schedule.
That meant that when he sat down to write, he needed to make sure he met his daily word count goal.
So how did he do it? Read on to discover Trollope’s unique strategy.
Trollope’s Daily Writing Routine
First, Trollope had to find several hours of free time that he could devote to writing. Because of the long hours his job demanded, he realized that he would only be able to find time to write before he headed off to work.
The Trollope Society reports, “Trollope wrote for three hours every morning from 5am – 8am, and then went to work. He paid a servant £5 extra a year to wake him up with a cup of coffee.”
In his autobiography, Trollope observed that the servant was “never once late with the coffee…I do not know that I ought not to feel that I owe more to him than to anyone else for the success I have had. By beginning at that hour I could complete my literary work before I dressed for breakfast.”
Many writers swear by waking up early in the morning and getting to their writing first thing before anything else on their schedules. This may not work for everyone, but what Trollope did next is something that any writer can adopt into his or her daily routine.
The Timed Writing Strategy
Trollope wanted to make sure that none of those three precious hours was wasted. He wanted to ensure that he would be writing continuously so that he wouldn’t be spending time “nibbling his pen, and gazing at the wall before him, till he shall have found the words with which he wants to express his ideas.”
His solution?
A pocket watch.
First, he would read over his manuscript for half an hour. Then, he explained,
It had at this time become my custom,—and it still is my custom, though of late I have become a little lenient to myself, —to write with my watch before me, and to require from myself 250 words every quarter of an hour.
I have found that the 250 words have been forthcoming as regularly as my watch went…
Ultimately, Trollope’s timed writing sessions were the key to his prolific output.
He wrote,
This division of time allowed me to produce over ten pages of an ordinary novel volume a day, and if kept up through ten months, would have given as its results three novels of three volumes each in the year.
Why Trollope’s Timed Writing Strategy Works
Trollope’s timed writing strategy was so amazingly effective because he committed to turning off all distractions during that time period. He forced himself to concentrate on only the ticking of the stopwatch.
This meant absolutely no multitasking.
In today’s world, multitasking has become such an acceptable part of our daily life that it’s a tough habit to break. As we write, we might stop every few minutes or so to check a text on our phone or a notification from Facebook or Instagram.
However, our brains can’t focus on a handful of tasks all at the same time. Instead, the brain has to scramble to switch its focus every time we start doing something different.
And when we’re multitasking while working on an article or any kind of writing project, that means that our brains only have a matter of seconds to jump back and forth as we check Facebook, then write a few lines, then quickly check our email, write a few more lines, then check our text messages, then return to our writing project.
According to this Wall Street Journal article, “It takes more than 25 minutes on average to resume a task after being interrupted.”
Even worse, “It takes an additional 15 minutes to regain the same intense focus or flow as before the interruption.”
That’s forty entire minutes, and that doesn’t even take into consideration multiple interruptions.
Check out this fascinating interview with Clifford Nass, a researcher at Stanford, who conducted a study on the detrimental effects of multitasking.
Of course, Trollope did not have to contend with social media and cell phones, but no doubt there were similar temptations in his day that could easily distract him from his writing tasks.
However, by putting his watch before him, he challenged himself not to break the intense flow of his work.
How We Can Implement Timed Writing: The Pomodoro Technique
Not all of us will have three hours of our day that we can devote to writing, nor will all of us be able to set apart time in the morning to write.
However, timed writing is a simple and easy technique that can be used by any writer.
On those days when I notice I am having difficulty focusing on my writing, I use a similar approach to Trollope’s called the Pomodoro technique.
An Italian college student named Francesco Cirillo invented the technique in the 1980s. Constantly distracted during his study time, he was looking for something to help him focus.
Cirillo discovered a 25-minute kitchen timer in the shape of a tomato, and the Pomodoro technique was born (Pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato).
Here’s how it works:
- Decide on a task to be completed.
- Set the timer to 25 minutes.
- Work on the task until the timer rings (record the ‘pomodoro’ with an x on a piece of paper).
- Take a short break (3-5 minutes).
- Every four “pomodori” take a longer break (15–30 minutes) until the task is completed.
Here’s why it works:
Like Trollope’s watch, the physical countdown of the timer helps you stay focused and accountable. You can only record an “x” if you worked diligently for the entire 25-minutes (that means no checking Facebook or email or getting a snack or texting).
25 minutes is the perfect amount of time to spend writing. It’s neither too short nor too long. Then you get a few minutes to check your Facebook or email or to take a break from the computer and grab a snack.
Those breaks allow your brain a little bit of time to reenergize but still keep you in the flow.
I find that a single session of four straight pomodori (that’s about two hours including breaks) seems to be the perfect amount of time to devote to long, complex tasks. Those two hours really allow me to dig deep into the project I am working on, and with the Pomodoro technique, the time really does seem to fly by.
However, all of that time is being put to good use, and I find that I am now completing my writing projects faster than ever before.
Whenever I implement timed writing, my productivity skyrockets, and my written output increases tremendously.
If you would like to try out the Pomodoro technique, you can buy a physical timer or use a free Pomodoro app online. I recommend this one.
The Takeaway
Whether you use the Pomodoro technique or a less structured method like Trollope’s, timed writing is one of the best ways to beat procrastination, end multitasking, and reach your daily word count goal.
Trollope understood that he only had a limited amount of time to devote to writing. His hours were precious, and he needed to use them wisely.
Timed writing helps us use our hours as productively as possible and establish a daily writing routine.
As Trollope observed, “A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labours of a spasmodic Hercules.”
Do you implement timed writing sessions during your daily writing routine? If you enjoyed this post, be sure to leave a comment and share with someone you would like to inspire.
Dr Kamal Krishna Nath says
Troppole didn’t know about Pomodoro technique however he was aware of the whole concept and made use of it to achieve his fulfilment. Thank you Nicole writing this beautiful piece if article and relating the theme to a concept.
Heather Langley says
Thank so very much for sharing Trollope’s simple but so effective technique and advice. This is the best ever solution to my problem with focusing. I am an early morning person also so it will be a good fit. I would choose the physical timer as opposed to an app as I think that could be a distraction too. Now I’m motivated and set to go for the annual Nanowrimo challenge!!
Sandy Cee says
Wow! So many others enthused as I am. I was and still am a keen advocate of the rewards system. I love my sweet foods and relaxed ways.
But I am getting no writing done at the moment with so many rewards, they are becoming my regular habits instead. I will try the Trollope method as it suits my analytical mind to break the hour in to four bite sized pieces that I can muster.
Thanks for the great article, I have shared it to my FB page. I’m sure I will be a regular reader now of your great website 🙂
Daniel says
When I write right now I have been using a stopwatch to see how long it takes me to write my set of words. I really like this timer idea better because it puts more pressure on me to perform on top of keeping track of my typing speed. Wanting my brother to write, I will send him this article to try and get him jump started too.
Anamaria Hannah De Gitter-Pherekyde says
The idea is brilliant especially for people like me, not very disciplined.
I have just one question: would the routine be annihilated and need to start from scratch if here and there one or two days off are taken?
I’m a writer in making, just starting and I embrace everything that can help.
Thank you for the input!
Isaac says
I really love his time technique. It has lit a fire in me.
I’ll incorporate it into my daily activities.
Thanks Nicole for sharing this. It’s awesome.
R G Ratnawat says
Very inspiring article. I do practice time management though not by this technique. However eating an elephant part by part is always a good technique to maintain the momentum. Kudos
jean Roosenberg says
Very inspiring article. I will use this method to increase my writing output.
Victoire Metuge says
I stumbled on this article while reading another article by Francesca Phillips of the Writing Cooperative on Medium. Since discovering Medium, it has led me to a treasure trove of writing websites, authors and bloggers that I’m extremely grateful for.
I loved this article so much because I’m the queen of distractions and I’ve been looking for a solution for the longest time ever but never did it cross my mind to even try any of the ideas mentioned. Will be scouting an alarm clock this weekend as the app wouldn’t work me; my phone would need to be completely off if I’m going to achieve any semblance of the Pomodoro Routine.
I will be camping out on this blog in the next coming days as I’m seeing so much rich material already that i need to better myself as a writer.
Thank you for this Nicole.
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Victoire! 🙂 Thank you so much for your kind comment. I hope the Pomodoro technique helps you. All the best with your writing!
nano says
thank you, inspring
Ani Torossian says
This is fantastic, Nicole. I hadn’t heard of this before – will definitely be good to utilize it both for studies and writing.
Thanks for sharing this!
Ani
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Ani! Hope it works for you! I found the Pomodoro method very helpful when I was in college. Thanks for commenting and have a lovely week! 🙂
Resh Susan says
I had fun reading this. especially because I am reading Trollope at the moment. I am fascinated in how he accomplished so much with a job at hand.
Nicole Bianchi says
So glad you enjoyed it, Resh! Yes, I am amazed that he managed to write so much “by hand” while also working a full-time job. It really is incredible. I haven’t read anything by him yet but researching this article has made me very interested in picking up one of his books. I’m excited to read Barchester Towers with you all in April! 🙂
Rhonda Marie Stalb says
I love this!!
Nicole Bianchi says
Thanks so much, Rhonda! 🙂
John says
Hi, Nicole! Thank you for the helpful article. What I find amazing about Trollope is that he had a full-time job and was able to write three novels a year. Wow!!! I am going to start the word count method today.
Nicole Bianchi says
Thanks for your comment! I am so happy to hear you found the article helpful. 🙂 Trollope is so very inspiring – he’s proof that no matter how crazy our schedules are, there is always time for writing. Hope this method works for you!
Dolores says
Wonderful article Nicole! I had read about this in the past but I have to admit that I had forgotten about it. Thank you for this detailed and inspiring work routine. I’ve been trying to get more organized and I will definitely give this a try. Also giving the routine a name seems like an effective way to make it more appealing. I really enjoy reading your posts.
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Dolores! Thank you so much for your kind comment! I find it so encouraging to hear that you enjoy reading my posts. 🙂 That inspires me to keep writing! I hope that this technique works for you — I have found it so useful for so many different situations, not only for writing. Have a lovely week!
Beverley Lee says
Such an insightful article, Nicole. I employ the certain number of words/amount of time strategy to my writing and editing but it’s oh so easy to be distracted during those times. I think I will try out the Pomodoro technique and see if it yields better results. Thanks for a lovely post! 🙂
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Beverley! Thanks so much for your comment. 🙂 Yes, I find if I’m not using the pomodoro technique, I end up pausing my writing session an awful lot to check social media or my email or a text on my phone. The pomodoro technique is so helpful in making sure I shut off all of these distractions. I hope it works for you!
Cynthia P. says
Great article Nicole. Really interesting ideas! I had never heard of the pomodoro technique. Thanks. Cynthia
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Cynthia! It’s always so nice to see your comments here on the blog. 🙂 I am so glad you enjoyed the post. I hope you found it helpful! I have found the pomodoro technique helpful for so many other activities that don’t even involve writing. It really helps me to stay focused and work quickly. Have a lovely week!
Nadia King says
Wonderful idea. I am going to implement my new 25 minute routine for everything as I get hopelessly distracted by my phone, email and iPad all the time. It’s become impossible for me to complete anything. This 25 minute doodah may just work for me. Thank you so much for sharing what will hopefully make me much more productive in all facets of my life.
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Nadia! Fantastic! Can’t wait to hear how it works for you. 🙂 When I discovered this technique and implemented it for the first time, I was amazed at how well it worked. It really has changed the way I approach writing and other activities. So glad you found the post helpful!
Lynne says
Guilty as charged. I’m a major multitasker. This sounds like a great way to stay focused on the task at hand. Early morning would be the best time to write. Now if I could just find someone to wake me with a strong hot cup of coffee. 🙂
Thanks for an excellent article, Nicole.
Nicole Bianchi says
Yes, Trollope was lucky to be able to hire a servant. 😉 I think we’re probably all guilty of multitasking (I know I am!). It’s important to remember that multitasking isn’t an efficient way to work. I always think I’m getting my tasks done faster when I multitask, but in actuality it’s probably slowing me down. Thanks for your comment!
Paige says
Thank you for the helpful article. I’ve seen and tried variations of the Pomodoro technique and am excited to try the 4 in a row/2 hour formula. I am definitely guilty of checking texts/fb throughout my writing time and I know it just sucks the productivity out of me. Good luck on the 500 Words challenge!
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Paige! So glad you found the article helpful! Let me know how this version of the Pomodoro technique works out for you. 🙂 The 500 word challenge has been amazing. I finished it yesterday (I wasn’t following the prompts, just journaling 500+ words every morning), and it really helped me to establish a daily writing habit. Hope it is going well for you too!
Samantha Stambaugh says
Wonderful article. I like both techniques of the timed writing, but hadn’t heard about them before. I happen to be a huge procrastinator and use a reward system similar to this with simple household tasks so as not to over-exhaust myself or cause too much pain; I’m also an over-worker. I complete a task and then reward myself with a chapter of the book I’m reading, or a few of my favourite candies (Skittles addict), or even time on Facebook or Goodreads (reading addict). After accomplishing what I wanted to during that day, I may reward myself with a few hours in my Happy Place, the library (library book addict).
In order to get my own books in my Happy Place, maybe I should try the timed techniques for my writing and finally get some publishable work done. Thanks so much for this great article. I am inspired!
Nicole Bianchi says
Hi, Samantha! Thanks so much for your comment. Yes, these techniques are an excellent way to complete household tasks as well. I love your reward system. It sounds like it would work very well with the Pomodoro technique as it is all about delayed gratification. It’s amazing how motivating rewards can be (even when they are just something small like, as you say, your favorite candies).
I love that the library is one of your happy places (mine too!). 🙂 All of the best with your writing endeavors! I hope these techniques will help you complete your writing projects.