How to Create a Writing Habit
Writing is one of those things that a lot of people enjoy, but a lot of people also find hard to fit into their lives. Unless your job includes writing, it can fall by the wayside, overlooked in favour of other, arguably easier hobbies.
Writing can be difficult. Writing can be lonely. Writing can be scary. There are few other things which will force you to confront self-doubt, perfectionism, imposter syndrome and a fear of failure all in one go.
It is personal, feeling like you are putting your soul on a page, ready to be judged by whoever picks it up. But, as the famous saying goes:
“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” - Stephen Kin
When you first sit down at your desk, with a blank page in front of you and a disappointing lack of ideas running through your head, it feels easier to put down your pen and go to watch the next episode of Normal People, promising yourself you will definitely, absolutely, write something tomorrow.
By making writing into a habit, it will no longer feel as difficult, and instead, become part of your everyday life. Here are some tips to help you build that habit:
CARRY A NOTEBOOK WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO
Find yourself a tiny notebook that fits into your bag or coat pocket and take it with you everywhere. Dedicate this notebook to sentence fragments and musings that pop into your head.
Pull your notebook out in the pockets of time you have in your day - on the bus, when you’re waiting for a friend, waiting in a queue or sitting on a park bench. Write about what you see, feel and hear. Write down snippets of conversations that you overhear or try to describe people that walk past you in one sentence.
This notebook can become a great resource for inspiration when you sit down to write something longer and will encourage you to keep your writing in mind as you go about your daily life.
SET YOURSELF GOALS
Often when it comes to creative pursuits, we resist setting goals for ourselves because it feels counterintuitive, like we will be squashing the artistic spirit we are trying to pursue.
However, by setting yourself a goal you will be ensuring you are actually doing the writing you want to do. Whether you want to write for half an hour a couple of times a week, or you want to be writing an article every month, figure out what you are working towards. This will give you more purpose when you sit down to write.
BUILD A SUPPORT NETWORK
Anyone who writes creatively knows it can be difficult. Often, people who don’t write aren’t quite sure what is so hard about it. This is why it is important to have people who you can talk to that understand the challenges that come along with writing.
People who have experienced writers block, or struggled with fleshing out a character, will be able to support you when you get stuck with your projects, as well as being able to share wisdom that will help you.
There are thousands of writing groups, local organisations and Facebook communities dedicated to writing. Try to find one local to you and join in.
READ
“Read, read, read. Read everything” – William Faulkner
Reading more will make you a better writer. You will learn how authors develop their characters, how journalists construct their arguments and what makes a piece of writing effective, or not. It will also mean you will be continuously inspired by the things that other writers are created, as you absorb new ideas.
Read as much as you can. Read genres you wouldn’t usually read. Read books about writing. Follow other writers on social media to inspire you to keep going.
START A COURSE
If you find it difficult to motivate yourself to write, starting a course can be a great way of forcing yourself to dedicate time to it. As well as this, courses can help you to improve your writing, which will help you to enjoy it more.
There are lots of free courses available, either online or offline, including those run by the National Centre for Writing. Most parts of the country also have local organisations that will provide similar courses.
DON’T BE OVERAMBITIOUS
A lot of writing advice online says to try and write every day. However, for a lot of people this will be like trying to run before you can walk. Writing every day is a big commitment, and if you force yourself to do this, you may end up squashing all of the joy out of writing.
500 words a day for six months might make a novel, but 500 words every other day over twelve months might make a better novel. Writing is incredibly personal, so listen to yourself and write when you want to write.
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Written by Jasmin Perry
