“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
— Aristotle
Writers often talk about the importance of creating (and sticking to) a writing schedule. There are writers who insist that writing every day is the best way to success; then there are those who swear that to simply write when inspiration comes will do the trick. Some build their writing schedules around word counts, some by page numbers, others by hours at the keyboard. Some set their deadlines by the week — others by the month.
Of course, different systems work for different people, but there’s a strong argument to be made for writing every day. It doesn’t have to be a lot. In fact, a single sentence commitment will do. Hopefully, once you get that first sentence down, more will follow. Some days that one sentence might turn into four or five pages. Other days that single sentence might be all you can muster. But that’s okay. Instead of striving toward ambitious goals, you’ll be creating a habit.
Here’s how daily writing can help your productivity:
- Relieve the Pressure: When writing days are few and far between, each individual writing session can come with a lot of pressure. It’s easy to feel like you have to make up for lost time — to produce a high volume of high quality material right away. However, if you’re writing daily, you can approach each session with smaller, friendlier goals in mind. You might feel freer to try new things and explore new ideas. Simply by writing more frequently, you give yourself plenty of time for experiments, mistakes and corrections.
- Stay in Rhythm: Writing daily will help you keep your work fresh in your mind. You’ll be far less likely to forget what your characters were doing, to lose your train of thought, or to have to revisit your research. With ideas, plotlines and arguments still lingering, it should always be easy to pick up where you left off.
- Fall into Habit: As with any other craft, practice makes perfect. The more you write, the easier it will be and the more you’ll get done. By making time to work every day, writing can become second nature — as instinctual as brushing your teeth. You won’t struggle to fit it in to your life anymore; you’ll just do it. Thinking and creating will become part of who you are in your daily life.
Stop making goals and start creating a habit. Write — at least one sentence — every day. And see where that one sentence leads you. Remember, it’s only through writing that you can become a writer.
How do you make writing a part of your lifestyle?
I carry a small notebook in my purse. Wherever I am, I can jot down ideas, full sentences or questions to research. Having the notebook on hand has allowed me to write down snatches of conversations I’ve overheard which I later used because they captured the speech patterns of characters in my stories.
Great idea, thank you for sharing!
Thank you for posting. I also carry a small notebook for jotting down ideas and inspiration. I never thought of it as writing, just “jotting stuff down,” but now I realize it is writing and all adds to the mix of the finished work.
Hi. That is really good insight. AS a Christian writer, jotting down the God inspired thoughts and receiving daily bread for the book or story line, on a daily basis is very essential.
That is great. All my writings circles around events, issues, falls, encourgagement, discouragements, and more.
I find it relieves me of tension. Having a conversation with a true friend, myself.
I too find, if I do not write, the rumble of a foundation breaking apart, arises in me.
Thank you very much for the wonderful advice! God Bless.
Writing for me is a passion and a hopeful future. I write when I feel inspired or seem to have the time, but the “one sentence a day” might be a new step for me. As I am trying to complete the “plot” of my third unfinished book, it might give me the spark that I need to finish it off!
When I have a thought that needs to be written down for poetry or my book I like to use the notepad in my phone or ipad, one of which is always with me . I used to always use paper but would have scraps of paper all over the place.
By putting out a daily post on my blog, “Daily Mood in Beach Glass”, I am forcing myself to write continually. One of my photos of beach glass or rocks is featured with each post, showing a relationship between the writing and the photo. Sea glass lovers visit my blog for the new picture of the day, but I am beginning to see comments regarding my writing!
That makes absolute sense. Sometimes I lose my train of thought and have to spend time recalling an idea. By writing daily it will keep me on a smooth even course and help me stay focused.
Thank You
I write about everything. I write poetry, essays, stories. Sometimes, I think of a character or a situation, and I go write about it. As I write, the story comes to me. I wrote about the bird trapped in my garage in a tight space, and how I rescued it. I wrote about the butterfly who found its way into the netting around the blueberries, but couldn’t find its way out again. I take inspiration from absolutely everything. I wrote about my cat’s surgery. About a mangy-looking coyote we used to see regularly. Just write about everything!
Thank you for sharing your encouraging thoughts. May God continue to to let your words be a blessing to multiple millions. May God bless you richly… FOREVER.
Eleazer
Wow! I am a preacher and I thing this might just be the answer to get my book done! Small drops surely make a might ocean.
Thank you so much for this short but sweet truth! You have reminded me of the fact that I want to write and the only way to do that… is to WRITE!!
I AM INSPIRED…. and will start Iimmediately in a notebook!
Your encouragement is precious and I am grateful.
Unfortunately i must get my computer to Best Buy or someone… as it has crashed. A new one is on the way… but I have a lifetime of memories stored in the crashed
one… please pray that my back up hard drive isn’t also toast….
Thank you sincerely, Assunta Thompson
What a timely post for me! Exactly what I needed for my sporadic approach to writing. Thank you. Very Helpful.
I find that writing daily, even if its just a statement does help me. helps me stay in the train of thoughts of my story line and plot. whenever I go a long time (3 to 4 days) without writing, I feel guilty and lost each time I get back to it and would have to refresh and acquint my mind and self with the story and my characters. More like introducing myself to them all and saying; ‘Hello, i’m funmilayo, would you all mind telling me a bit about yourself, so we can carry on with your grand endings?’ lol…
So, stay in sync, write everyday or, read what you’ve written so far if you cant get anything down that day, it sure does help, and believe me, atleast a word will come.
I love getting up early in the morning and writing while the house is still asleep and my brain is fresh. I haven’t been writing long enough to have any tried and proven methods or habits, but I am gradually finding my own rhythm. I write every single day for a while, whether it be simply journaling or actually adding to my story, but then I find that taking some time away brings me back with a fresh perspective and sets me off on a tangent of creativity.
In college writing classes, we were encouraged to find that “natural” time of day when the creative juices were flowing. Of course, that meant writing (at first) at different times of day. My creative writing time turned out to be between 9p and 2a.m. and even then, when my eyes wanted to rest, the brain kept going! — 2ndly, NEVER just stare at a blank page. If nothing comes, try writing a letter, journal entry, or even a recipe; just WRITE SOMETHING! That’s the other thing, even if you don’t write something related to the current project, keeping your schedule is important. I found that after awhile, the characters took over and “wrote” the story themselves.
It’s funny you should say that because when I was writing my first 2 novels, I got quite a bit done in the wee hours of the night while everyone was asleep. There were other times, too, and when God would give me the material I had to write it down RIGHT THEN! Awesome!
I keep a small recorder with me at all times, they even come small as a pen I carry it everywhere I go, I find it easier to speak my ideas as they flow. You never know what is going to spark your creativity and open the writers block.
It’s interesting the way the world works, because just a few days ago I committed an hour of each day to writing. I find it’s a great way to unwind in the evening, or wind up, depending on the scene.
I just starting my journey as a writer. I actually retired from work to do so. It has been a challenge to sit down every day but the tips are a welcome sight. I allow family to get in the way most of the time because they see writing as a hobby and not a career. Thanks for the advice.
As a young bot I always allowed my imagination to run freely. I always had a strong desire about everything around me with life being the ultimate challenge. Life always fascinated me and writing was always a way I could express that, seeking the answers of why am I here. As I start my day I listen closely to what my mind and my instincts are telling me which in return translates into a fascinating way of writing. Through out the day when I feel something I write a brief note in my cell phone or use the voice recorder in it which allows me to come back later and touch on the subject.
I write in my diary each night. When I think of my childhood, I write a story about that. I write about my vacations.
I usually write after my devotion each morning.
I know I need to put it together.
Thank you very .
much for these insightful advises. I have been planning to write a book for more than five years. Up until now, I have written a paragraph; my excuse being that I do not have enough time to write. Your tips are God’s answer to my longings to become a discipline writer.
Thank you and remain blessed,
I took a huge leap so that I could write. I would write over the years, tear it up and then write again. My frustration came from not being able to finsish because I allowed work to consume me. I wish that I had some of those notes with me now. I took an early retirement without much of a safety net in order to take my writing more seriously and to finish my first novel. I have faith that this is suppose to be what I am to do.
I have unfinished writings as well, I change my mind and spend to much time rewriting?? I know its all in there, just trying to get it out!
All the three reasons given to develop the habit of writing everyday sounds realistic and pragmatic. My experience tells me there is no other way to accomplish goals we set that involve writing for completion and achieve our goals. Whenever I put off writing, the impulse of writing so as to complete a writing task doesn’t simply come automatically and the matter gets postponed and most of the sound ideas/thoughts that pop into the mind that could contribute to finishing the task doesn’t pop into the mind again. Its only the habit of writing regularly concerning any topic the mind is dwelling on will help one to finish the task and feel rewarded. The three reasons make a lot of sense and worth keeping in mind to write regularly and finish the task efficiently and effectively.
This is a great ideal and it does help out those future writers. My passion is to one day write a book telling my story. And writing everyday really does help. But at times when away from home I forget my notebook and brillant phrases come to me..
I’d just like to comment about something I have discovered when writing a book on spirituality. Be careful who you share you thoughts and writing with. It is good to join a group to learn the basic facts of how to begin to write a book and all the techical manuscript stuff and mechanics but be sure that God wants you to share with unbelievers. Unbelievers can make you “second guess” yourself if you’re not strong in your faith or are a new Christian. I found that many people frowned on the spiritual things I experienced but it did not get me down….in fact it made me stronger! I just decided to leave the group and find a better venue for presenting my God-directed work. The scripture, “Don’t throw pearls before swine” was a true confirmation for me!
Thanks for that reminder! I think that if we take our writing seriously we should not be without our notebooks; an idea or inspiring thought can come at any time even when least expected. Making a habit of writing every day means that you are practicing and perfecting your craft.
I outlined my book 15 years ago because I thought my journey had reached its peak. Now after leaving the work force, I have started writing and I will self publish through Westbow Press. I get started writing and find myself questioning my outline. God is in charge and His grace is really shaping how I present the “labels”, even the label of Christian, can shape or break you, its your choice. I haven’t even reached the challenges of the labels yet, and I want to learn to blog. I literally felt panic when I noted that opportunity and welcome feedback. Thanks for the 3 reasons to write every day.
Wilma, not a flintstone (a label).
I read scripture and other spiritual writings every day. I always have a notepad available and write down whatever the daily readings prompt me to write. You might say it – the readings – open up my soul AND my mind each day and I am grateful for that. I’m also grateful to you for posting this. It’s very helpful. God bless you!