Tick tick tick tick tick. I love the sound of an old egg timer counting down the minutes. Serving up a satisfying "bing!" at the end. I use a timer about half the time that I write (especially when I feel sluggish and reluctant). There have been times when I have done nothing but stare at a page for the full 15 minutes (or whatever the designated time was). More often, I jump as if a starting gun has been fired, write lousy and great sentences, and then keep writing after the bell rings.
I thought my dedication to the timer was eccentric, but my students claim it is the most useful help for productive writing as all. (Not
all students, of course. Writers, if nothing else, are individuals.) Here's what I get:
- A ready tool
- A ritual the reenforces good habits
- A taskmaster that does not accept excuses; the dial marches forward no matter what I say.
- Permission -- to write less that perfect prose and to stop when the timer goes off.
I have used the timer primarily for drafting, but I've found it is also a great help for rewriting (my least favorite activity). For me, there is an extra requirement - I need to decide the day before what I will do
specifically during that time period (proofing, removing "junk" words, doing a
"backward" analysis. Without a plan other than "rewriting," the timer is not a help. With the plan, I stay on task and get the productivity I'm looking for.
I like real timers, but I use timer apps as well. CNET always has a few timers available for
download, including free ones.
I'll end with a question. Why aren't timers used more often? The students who rave about timers and report productivity during classes have generally had success with them in the past. Why do they fail to use them on a regular basis? How can the habit be encouraged?
