How to form a daily writing habit

Many of us (myself included!) have at some point in our writing journey struggled with the maintaining a daily writing habit. A full-time job, parenthood, and other obligations can often make it difficult to write on a schedule, which is the easiest way to form any habit. And yet, it is the single piece of advice that prolific authors agree upon. Writing daily brings results in the long run.

So how can you begin to form you daily writing habit?

In this article, I am happy to share with you the 5 tried and tested tips about how to form a daily writing habit that will last for years, allowing you to reach your creative writing goals no matter what they are.

• Set realistic goals.

It’s easy when starting out to begin with lofty goals. You may be tempted to make sacrifices such as waking up an hour earlier or going to bed later, giving up a night out with friends or even handing off the baby to someone else for the evening. And while all the above are perfectly valid ways to go this, they can become exhausting very quickly. Unless your will is iron-clad (and let’s face it, not all of us are able to resist temptation) you will quickly find yourself sleeping in rather than getting up early, making your writing a chore instead of an enjoyable outlet.

• Keep your writing schedule flexible.

Set your writing goal at 10-15 minutes in the beginning and keep the schedule flexible. It’s great if you are able to set a specific time, but this can be very difficult. You may find yourself with 15 minutes between classes or while waiting for your child to finish an activity. Take advantage of the small gaps in your day to keep your writing alive.

• Keep track of your writing.

Just like children, adults also need reminders and encouragement. Only writing when you have time -rather than on a set schedule – means that it can easily be forgotten in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  Whether it’s on the family’s daily calendar, in your journal or on an e-calendar, make sure you note your writing when it happens. Be creative. Give yourself a gold star or write in a bright color when you keep yourself on track, and you’ll soon find yourself proud of the collection you amass.

• Don’t get discouraged.

In the beginning, it might feel daunting to sit down and start writing. For many writers there is nothing more terrifying than a blank page, filled with endless possibilities. You may feel out of practice and struggle to put any words on the page, let alone words that are cohesive and can be added to your story. When this happens, it is vital to remember that writing is like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the easier it will be. Be gentle with yourself when it’s difficult and remember that any writing is better than none.

• Write about anything.

Even if you are currently in the middle of writing a novel, inspiration may be hard to come by at times, especially during a busy day. Trying to force yourself to write about a specific topic may be counter-productive, even leading to writer’s block if you try to force it. When this happens, the easiest thing to do is to write about something else. This can be in line with your current story, such as the backstory of a particular character, a scene from a different POV or even a funny anecdote that would never make it into the finished product. Alternatively, you can use writing prompts or words to jog your inspiration to write a short story about something completely unrelated. There are a number of websites with writing prompts in all genres. Any writing is beneficial, so don’t limit yourself.

So, here are our 5 tips on how to form a daily writing habit. I hope that this short guide has been useful to you and that you feel more motivated to start crafting your own stories despite any full time commitments you may have that you feel are blocking you.

Look out for the next article where I will outline some tips and tricks to help plotting your story.

Happy writing!