The Productive Writer

As a beginning writer and poet, productivity is always on my mind. If I'm going to be spending time writing I want to get out of it as much as I put into it. What does it mean to be productive? My good day must be a not-so-good day for you.Most of the time distractions abound and my lack of focus and my procrastination habit has hindered progress. So when I read about Sage Cohen's book The Productive Writer I wanted a copy. Every year I write a list of actionable creative writing goals. But usually by March my enthusiasm for writing starts to wane. As soon as the rejections come in my excuses start. I'm not good enough. I'll never be published. Why should I continue?

Make Time for Writing and Be More Productive!

Because Cohen has a full-time job and is a working mother she addresses the writers who complain if they only had more time they’d be writers. Yes, you might have to make some sacrifices including saying no to other commitments, getting up earlier and prioritizing but if you really desire a writing life getting organized, setting goals and developing your career as a professional writer are worth it.

Just Imagine What You Can Be

Cohen addresses these fears and in 20 short chapters (10 pages) gives writers encouraging actionable examples to motivate even the most unproductive and jaded writer. Cohen starts the book by asking the reader to define what productivity means to them. Obviously each writer has their own definition of productivity so Cohen encourages readers to “harness their potential” by answering a series of questions in Chapter 1. The next 19 chapters read quickly as Cohen addresses everything from platform building, social media, scheduling, time-management, community-building, revision, momentum, partnerships and more. Some readers might need more in-depth information on each of these topics but Cohen’s conversational tone and the motivating inspirational writing quotes from successful authors make this a quick, light and chock-full-of-information read. Reading about Cohen’s struggles and the techniques that helped her succeed are invaluable. Even small bits of advice like how to organize your file folders was helpful for this disorganized writer!

Organize Your Writing Business

Every copy oncludes downloadable worksheets including time logs, schedules, examples and templates that are very helpful when you're just starting out. And they may inspire you to work out your own schedule as you write your way to success.