Most famous authors give the same advice when asked how they managed to build a successful career: They applied their butt to the chair and wrote. They made writing a habit, something they chipped away at day after day until their work was done. That sounds fairly easy to do, but all writers, new and experienced, know how difficult it can be to set up and keep a habit in the midst of daily demands and new TV show season drops.
Whether you’re just beginning a writing habit, or trying to get back into the swing of things, here are nine tips to help you actually make writing a habit.
Start small
Begin with manageable tasks or behaviors that require minimal effort and time commitment. For example, start with writing 100 to 500 words a day or write for 15 minutes each morning. Gradually increase the complexity or duration as the habit becomes ingrained. If you start at 1,000 words a day, it’ll be easier to miss and become discouraged. Start small and you can easily build to 1,000, 3,000, even 10,000 words a day if you want.
Set specific goals
Define clear, achievable objectives that outline what you aim to accomplish within a specific time frame. Having something to work toward keeps you on track. This can simply be writing one chapter by the end of the week to finishing the first draft by the end of the year.
Start with habit stacking
Incorporate the new habit into your daily or weekly schedule to create consistency. The easiest way to do this is sandwich your new habit into a routine that you already do. For example, my nightly routine is the eat dinner, watch an episode of something with my husband, take the dogs out for a potty break, read, turn out the lights. Between TV and taking out the dogs, there was a large gap where I’d do anything from watching more TV to reading to cleaning to going on a walk. Rather than leaving that time blank, I inserted some writing. It made it easy to remember that after TV comes writing, then taking out the dogs, then everything else. I implemented that routine 3 years ago, and I haven’t missed a day since.
Monitor progress
Keep track of your progress towards your goal with vision boards, goal trackers, journals, apps, calendars or anything else that works for you. Tracking your journey allows you to celebrate successes and identify areas for improvement. Especially with a massive project like writing a book, it can show you how far you’ve come even when it feels like you’re moving at a snail's pace. I suggest keeping your progress tracker someplace easy to see, like a print out you hang on the wall.
Stay accountable
Everything is more fun when you share it with family and friends. So tell people you trust about your goals and ask them to ask about it now and then. If you don’t have family or friends who take an interest in your writing, you can find critique partners or writing mentors to help.
Be adaptable
Recognize that setbacks and obstacles are inevitable. You will get sick, there will be a family or work emergency that screws with your schedule, there will be bad days when you don’t have the energy. Instead of giving up, accept that perfection is not the goal, adapt to the situation, and continue moving forward.
Reward yourself
Celebrate milestones and achievements along the way with rewards that reinforce the habit. Whether it's a small treat or a moment of relaxation, positive reinforcement can keep you motivated and enthused.
Practice self-compassion
Be kind to yourself during the habit-building process, especially when facing setbacks or challenges. Setting up the right habit takes time and sometimes, you have to try a few different things before you find what works for you. Treat yourself with understanding and forgiveness, and remember that progress is more important than perfection.
Identify yourself as a writer
You are what you believe, so if you believe you are a writer, you’ll be more likely to write. Being published is not required to be a writer. Having a formal education is not required either. If you are using written words to create something original to you, you are a writer.
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