The Five Laws of Effective Writing and the Writing Staycation

by Zahara Heckscher

Why is it so hard to write at home? Yes, I can knock off some emails and short articles at my desk. But why is it so hard to do my best focused writing at home?

If you are like me, you have found that your best writing happens somewhere else – a hotel room on vacation, a cozy chair in the café, or in a class with other writers. Why?

Based on extensive research and self-observation, as well as facilitating ten Writing Staycations, I am pleased to announce the discovery of the Five Laws of Effective Writing.

1.      Writing Law of Inverse Distance. The quality of your writing has an inverse proportion to your proximity to your laundry and kitchen.

2.      Writing Law of Healthy Habits. A schedule that includes regular walks, healthy food, and balanced caffeination will promote better writing than sugar-crazed temporary writing highs.

3.      Writing Law of Parallelism. Your efficiency of writing increases when someone nearby is also writing, creating a “Parallel Writing Efficiency Zone” in the region.

4.      Writing Law of Finite Time. Writers have more success when they write with deadlines and time limits than when they write with unlimited time.

5.      Writing Law of Structure. A well structured day of writing will increase productivity compared to an unstructured blob of writing time, which can easily morph into a blob of Facebook checking and irrelevant research projects.

I’ve designed the Writing Staycation to apply all these laws in a week of intensive writing. You bring your writing project—anything from an essay in your mind, to a manuscript to polish. I supply a room far from your laundry, with other dedicated writers, plenty of caffeine and health snacks, inspiring lunch speakers, and a writing schedule aimed at maximum efficiency. I also provide optional afternoon walks, one-on-one consults, and a structured day with tons of time to write.

In the past ten Staycations, I have seen amazing results—from poetry chapbooks compiled to memoirs started to manuscripts outlined to books completed.

Apply the Five Laws of Writing Efficiency with us at the next Writing Staycation, November 1-14, 2014. Hope you’ll join us. Register here.