Writing Process: The Kitchen Timer Method

On November 19th I tried something new with my writing. This is basically a process outlined in Lauren Graham's book "Talking as Fast as I Can," but isn't actually her idea. See she had so many projects going at once (one of which was a book), that she asked for advice on the matter. The advice came from oh-so-wise screenwriter Don Roos (Marley and Me). It's called "The Kitchen Timer Method." Here is my takeaway from how it works:

• Rid yourself of distraction 
• Most especially your phone and/or internet
• Set a timer for anywhere between 30 mins to 2 hrs
• If you struggle to go a full 2 hours, this just means you need to set the timer for less time next time
• Write! 
• You can have a journal as backup in case you need a break from a manuscript
• You do not have to write chronologically
• You can outline or brainstorm ideas if needed

I've now used this process twice and found it especially useful. I really want to write a middle-grade novel highlighting the experiences of growing up poor. I plan to use "The Kitchen Timer Method" throughout my writing and hope it gets me where I want to go. You really do have to put in the hours to get those words on paper/the screen. That is the goal here. I may never be able to proudly accomplish a NaNoWriMo, but I'm pretty sure that I can put in a few hours of writing each week.