Before we go any further you should know: I'm going to ask you to write things in a notebook. If you haven't got one I really do recommend it - though for now a piece of paper will do nicely.

The question

How, exactly, do we measure productivity?

Is it setting a 3000-words-a-day goal and hitting it every time?

Is it a single, beautiful, perfectly-formed sentence or paragraph?

Is it quantity, or is it quality? Or something else?

Exercise #1

You’re going to spend a moment thinking about your current practice. Take out your notebook and think about how you usually write.

• What makes you feel good?
• Quantity or quality?
• Why does it make you feel that way?

Jot down some thoughts and I'll see you in the next chapter.