After posting Part II of this series, my writer friend (you know the one. . .she inspired this series!) responded with a note about how she hadn’t considered visualization as a way to increase her writing speed.
Part of the magic of this strategy is that you are SEEING – and then FEELING – yourself do it. The result? Your subconscious mind responds in kind, ensuring that your conscious mind follows the program.
For those of you who are auditory processors, add in some sound effects! That’s right! Every time you put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, listen for your characters’ whispers, their ululations. . .the crunch of tires on a gravel road. . .the wind thrashing palm fronds. . .fog horn moaning from the peninsula. . .a SETI broadcast from the Boortean sector. . .
That’s right. . .you know exactly what I mean!
If you have voice-activated software, then MAKE THOSE SOUNDS while you dictate. (NOTE: I hope the software can support this. If not, then figure out how to spell them. . .) Creating new words to describe a sound you hear, as well as using recognized words, or Onomatopoeia, provides a rich layer to your writing. In fact, it makes it more real.
So get creative and see what you can add to the lexicon!
Some of you may be wondering how this creates writing speed. . .Do it – and discover how!
Terrie Leigh Relf: Author, Workshop Facilitator & Writing Coach 