Blog Tour: Using the Pomodoro Technique to Get Words on Paper by Stephanie Faris

By: Meradeth Houston on 4:00 AM

I have a fabulous guest post to share with you all today, by the lovely Stephanie Faris. Check out her fabulous advice:

Everyone procrastinates, but it seems like it’s worse for writers. Even though I realize most writing-related procrastination comes from fear, I still find myself putting off important projects. I often find myself thinking, “What if the next paragraph I write takes the story in the wrong direction and the book is 100 percent ruined?”

Of course, when I sit down and make myself write, the words eventually start flowing. But even when they’re flowing, my mind automatically begins thinking of excuses to get me back on my feet again. Isn’t there a load of laundry that needs to be done? Maybe I should get something to drink.

Sometimes the best way to keep yourself on your butt, typing away, is to play a game with yourself. The Pomodoro Technique was developed in the 80s as a productivity tool. “Pomodoro” is Italian for tomato, which was the type of timer the inventor was using when he came up with it. Here are the steps you need to take to make the technique worked for you:

Write Down a Goal

With the Pomodoro Technique, you write down a list of goals you want to accomplish in the session, which is generally 25 minutes. For writers, this will probably be a word count goal instead of a list of tasks.

Set the Timer

You can use a standard kitchen timer or an app designed specifically for the technique. Set the timer and start writing. At the end of the time period, if you’ve reached your word count goal, you’re entitled to a break.

Set a Break Timer

The technique calls for a three- to five-minute break if you’ve achieved your goals. You can extend this if you choose, but make sure you set a timer so that you’re back in your seat at the end of the break. After four Pomodoro sessions, you can take a 15-20 minute break if you’re following the plan.

You can adjust the times to find what works for you. The point is to make yourself continue working for the entire designated time. No checking Facebook, no blogging, and no opening the new email that pops up. You’ll be surprised how much you’ll get done.

Piper Morgan

When Piper Morgan has to move to a new town, she is sad to leave behind her friends, but excited for a new adventure. She is determined to have fun, be brave and find new friends.

In Piper Morgan Joins the Circus, Piper learns her mom’s new job will be with the Big Top Circus. She can’t wait to learn all about life under the big top, see all the cool animals, and meet the Little Explorers, the other kids who travel with the show. She’s even more excited to learn that she gets to be a part of the Little Explorers and help them end each show with a routine to get the audience on their feet and dancing along!

In Piper Morgan in Charge, Piper’s mom takes a job in the local elementary school principal’s office. Piper is excited for a new school and new friends—and is thrilled when she is made an “office helper.” But there is one girl who seems determined to prove she is a better helper—and she just so happens to be the principal’s daughter. Can Piper figure out how to handle being the new girl in town once more?

Stephanie Faris knew she wanted to be an author from a very young age. In fact, her mother often told her to stop reading so much and go outside and play with the other kids. After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science in broadcast journalism, she somehow found herself working in information technology. But she never stopped writing.

Stephanie is the Simon & Schuster author of 30 Days of No Gossip and 25 Roses. When she isn’t crafting fiction, she writes for a variety of online websites on the topics of business, technology, and her favorite subject of all—fashion. She lives in Nashville with her husband, a sales executive.

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