Writing Tip: Pomodoro Technique
Break up writing tasks into 25–50 minute segments with a reward at the end of each completed one.
Break up writing tasks into 25–50 minute segments with a reward at the end of each completed one.
I often get asked how I manage to handle all the stuff I do. I teach, both through Screenwriting Master Class and the film school at DePaul University. I blog. I interview writers. I mentor writers through the Black List feature writer labs. I continue to write screenplays. I wrote a book (The Protagonist’s Journey: An Introduction to Character-Driven Screenwriting and Storytelling, an Amazon #1 Best Seller in Film & Television).
I’ve got a lot going on in my life.
One thing I do is calendars. Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly. I put items on there I need to take care of — those items are in green. When I complete that task, I turn them blue.
But in terms of focusing my attention, I use the Pomodoro technique.
The basic thing is this: Break up work into 25–35 minute blocks (called ‘pomodoros’). During those blocks, that’s all you do: Work. No email, no Twitter, no Facebook, no nothing. Work.
Then a 5–10 minute break to do whatever you like, followed by another pomodoro.
The reason I bring this up is there are several new timing devices for your computer you can use to enforce your pomodoro. Here are some links:
For the iPhone or iPad:
Apart from jamming through whatever pages of a script you can knock out in 25 or 30 minutes, I think the Pomodoro is more valuable during the prep-writing phase. At least for me, my goal when I’m writing pages is to find my way into my story world and stay there as long as I can. That can be hours at a time. I don’t want any interruptions, just let me commune with my characters as I feel my way through scenes.
However, when you are breaking the story in the prep phase, I can totally see how the Pomodoro approach can work. For example, let’s say you’re doing character development and you have six primary characters in your story. What a great way to take a crack at them: 25 minutes with the first character, 5 minute break, 25 minutes with the second character, 5 minute break, and so on. I’d just close my eyes each time and let my fingers do a direct download from my imagination, what I was hearing each character say, seeing what they did, dashing off my impressions of them, and so on.
To download the free 44-page booklet about the Pomodoro technique, go here.
Here’s one writer’s take on the subject: The Pomodoro Technique: How To Write 5,000 Words Every Day.
For more information about the Pomodoro technique, go here.