I’ve made it through day 4 of Monica Leonelle’s 8×8 challenge (#8minutewritinghabit on twitter), so thought I’d post a quick update.

Day 2: Make some notes on how it felt to write for 8 minutes and how you could improve the process (e.g. dictating instead of  typing).

Put one of those strategies into operation as you do another 8-minute writing session. I chose to make some notes on what I was writing before actually diving in. I definitely find that having a clear idea of what I’m about to write helps me write faster.

Day 3: 8×8 scavenger hunt!

Find some ways to squeeze in some writing in places like:

the sofa

queuing at the supermarket

in a park (it was cold, so I went to a cafe instead)

Result: I felt a bit silly writing while queuing for the till in Sainsburys, but I did it! I also managed some writing on my sofa and in a cafe while waiting for my sandwich to arrive.

The main takeaway, though, was how to make my writing mobile: I stuck the last few lines of my current scene in Evernote, and while I was in the supermarket queue, all I had to do was pull it up on my phone and start typing. (This app is also helping me type faster on my phone.)

Day 4: Wake up 15 minutes earlier and do your 8-minute writing habit from bed.

Result: I did it. I can’t say I got much writing done, but I did feel accomplished having already written by the time I dragged myself out of bed. And it inspired me to put in a “proper” ten-minute session once I was up and dressed.

I’ll report on days 5, 6 and 7 later this week!