In 2021, I took a new year resolution to write daily starting from 1st Jan. It's going to be 20 months by the end of August this year and I am yet to break my streak. Hive & LeoFinance have helped me so much in that regard. If you're looking to develop a daily writing habit, it can be tempting to think of it as something that requires strict rules and structure. You might think that there are only certain ways to write every day, or that you have to stick with one method forever. But in reality, there are many different ways you can build a writing habit. Each approach has its own pros & cons.
Keep A Notebook With You
You can't do this alone. You need a notebook to write down your ideas, thoughts, and observations. You should keep it with you at all times so that you can jot down ideas as they come to mind.
Start by writing down the things on your daily 'to-do' list. This way, when you start writing later in the day or evening, there won't be any blank spaces on paper because those are already filled with tasks from earlier in the day.
You also want to use this notebook as an opportunity to brainstorm future stories and articles. Especially, if they're based on conversations or interactions that happened earlier in the day or something you experienced that is special to write about.
Prepare In Advance
Prepare your workspace. Set aside a place where you can write without being disturbed, and make sure it's ergonomically comfortable. You don't want to be hunched over or straining at the end of your session. A good seat with a desk or table for your computer is ideal, but if that's not possible, a cushioned chair with armrests will suffice. Make sure there is no clutter around you. You want to keep distractions at bay so they don't take up precious mental energy as you're trying to focus on writing.
- Prepare your writing tools: The right tools are essential for getting into the flow of your work! Set up everything in advance so they're ready when inspiration strikes (and hopefully won't distract). I like to use my mobile and laptop.
- Prepare content: Save all the things that come out of nowhere and seem important enough at that moment but later turn out not quite right: ideas for articles/post ideas, notes about books & movies/videos/music, quotes that strike you as insightful or beautiful. These can be aggregated into an Evernote notebook called "Writing Ideas" which can be accessed quickly through its own shortcut icon on your desktop and home screen of your mobile. I always know where they'll be waiting patiently while I continue working away at other tasks during my daily workflow routine.
Set A Daily Goal
Whether you have a blog or a book, you need to set a daily writing goal. Your goal should be between 500 and 1,000 words every day. This is the minimum amount of content that will allow you to develop consistency with your writing habit.
If the idea of writing 1,000 words in one sitting seems daunting, then break up your writing into smaller chunks.
For example: Write 500 words each morning before work (or at night if that’s more convenient). Write another 500 words in the evening when it’s quiet and peaceful. That's when my son sleeps. xD
Start Small & Build Good Habits
Set a goal that's achievable, so that you can feel good about reaching it. If you've never written before, aim for 10 words per day. If you have some writing experience under your belt, try one page a day or 250 words (about five pages). Always go for the lower end of whatever range makes sense for your skills and comfort level—it’s better to set an attainable goal than risk getting discouraged by one that’s too difficult.
When learning how to develop a daily writing habit, it’s important to remember that consistency is key: try not to break the chain! The longer you stick with something new (in this case, writing), the more likely it becomes part of your routine and eventually something automatic. Like brushing your teeth or locking up at night. That happens without even thinking about it. 🤤
No Rules, Just Write
The most important thing to remember is that there are no rules when it comes to writing. You can write in a journal, on social media or even as a hobby. It's your choice!
The best way to get started with daily writing is by writing about whatever interests you. There are no boundaries here, so go ahead and have fun with it!
You can write about your life experiences or what's happening in the world today. Whatever strikes your fancy at the moment will be great fodder for your daily writing habit. Just fucking do it!
Worry About Quality Later
The first thing to do when starting a writing habit is to make sure you're doing it for the right reasons. You know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men? It's true, so be careful. Keep your primary motivation for getting into daily writing is to become a better writer.
It doesn't matter how much time goes by or how many books or articles you read on how to write properly; until you've had dozens of experiences with various types of written communication, from formal letters to casual emails, you'll never really understand why one word choice works better than another in certain situations. So don't worry about quality yet; just get those words out onto the page!
Use “IF…THEN” Statements To Reach Your Goals
This is a technique that works well with goals of any kind, not just writing. If you want to be able to run a marathon in six months, for instance, you might say something like:
If I work out every day and eat healthy meals on weekdays, then I will have enough stamina to run 13 miles by June 30th.
If you want to be able to speak Spanish fluently by next summer (as in the example above), you could say:
If I study for 15 minutes every night and watch one hour of Spanish language lessons on Duolingo each week, then I will know at least 50 words by May 15th.
Conclusion
Starting a writing habit is one of the best things you can do for yourself. You’ll improve your creativity, increase your productivity, and boost your mental health. It may seem daunting at first, but if you follow the tips above it will be easy to develop a daily writing habit. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!