Summary

Adopting a daily writing practice offers numerous benefits, including improved discipline, self-expression, and personal growth.

Abstract

The article emphasizes the importance of maintaining a consistent writing routine, akin to daily health practices like brushing teeth or exercising. It suggests that writing, whether through morning pages, journaling, or working on projects, is essential for a writer's well-being and creative flow. The piece outlines twenty advantages of regular writing, such as building discipline, connecting with one's muse, enhancing communication skills, and fostering a sense of accomplishment. It also acknowledges common challenges like procrastination and fear, offering encouragement to writers to push through resistance and embrace their craft. The author, Chantal Weiss, shares personal insights and emphasizes that writing consistently, even in small amounts, is crucial for writers to realize their potential and produce meaningful work.

Opinions

Writing regularly is as vital to a writer's health as physical activities are to physical health.
Neglecting writing can lead to feelings of emptiness or irritability, similar to the effects of not exercising or eating poorly.
The act of writing, regardless of word count, is a step towards fulfilling one's passion and purpose as a writer.
Establishing a routine, such as writing in the morning or evening, can lead to stealth-like writing habits and strengthen one's writing "muscle."
Writing daily helps overcome fear and procrastination by fostering self-compassion and a deeper understanding of one's unique writing voice.
Regular writing practice is compared to a mind gym that builds confidence and improves communication skills.
The article suggests that writing every day, or as regularly as possible, can lead to personal growth and a richer perspective on life.
Sharing experiences of struggle and procrastination can inspire others to overcome their own resistance and engage in their writing practice.

WRITING ENCOURAGEMENT

The Advantages of Adopting a Daily Writing Practice

If you find you struggle to write regularly, here are some pointers to help encourage and entice you

As a writer, you must get the words down daily, or at least adopt a regular writing practice if every day is near impossible for you. Even if that means simply channeling your thoughts into the morning papers or journaling. Nonetheless, whichever way you are pulled to describe it, you have to just keep writing, and much of the time — regardless of how you are feeling.

You brush your teeth and strive to reach your 10K steps every day because you know it’s good for your health. You do this no matter how you are feeling because you know if you don’t, you’ll end up with cavities and feel lethargic and lazy. Well I know I feel rubbish if I don’t make myself walk more or miss my weight training sessions.

You know eating healthier food is an important habit. When you eat crap, you feel crap. And so, I find writing practice holds a similar template. You know when you don’t write, you feel empty or irritable. It’s all about equilibrium. We feel more aligned when we are attuned to our soul calling — as well as our physical needs, Mind-Body-Soul strength — we need to create.

You love writing. You are a writer. Keep writing

I know all too well what happens when you start on a new piece. You feel lost, without a map, and don’t know how you managed to create and finish your last article, essay, or book. Nonetheless, once you start to get the words down you flow back into your muse. You get surprised by how so many words start to form your new piece. Then you feel excited when you start your magic in the editing part. All that amazing cleaning and polishing. In hindsight, you can see, all it was was that your flow needed a little kick-start.

It isn’t important if you write 200 words or 1000 words, nevertheless, it needs to get done. If you are serious about writing, then just write. If you don’t write, then it’s only a dream. Or a nightmare.

Having a routine will help you achieve stealth-like writing habits. I like to pin my writing to the mornings, and on days that I have other work commitments, I will hit some keys in the evening. Nothing will stop me now, and it feels much easier lately — like a muscle has been strengthened.

You may prefer to write earlier when the sun starts to rise or later, when it is setting. When I do manage to write early I find it helps me to connect to life as I contemplate the earth rotating on its axis towards the east — a brand new day. This inspires and humbles me to embrace life — that we are all a walking miracle. I am aware that you know all of this. And yet it’s always great to be reminded.

It’s just a matter of doing it and not giving in to your sneaky resistance sabotages. I like to call them the avoiders or procrastinators which both boil down to fear. Fear is a big deal but when we are aware of its tricks we can handle it better. Nonetheless, as we are what we eat, we are how we feel when we are procrastinating. Just rubbish!

Twenty benefits to write every day (or as regularly as possible)

1. It builds discipline.

2. Deloads your thoughts.

3. Kick-starts you into your flow.

4. Connects you to your Muse.

5. Helps you write your first thoughts rather than what you feel you ‘should’ be writing.

6. Encourages you to recognize your ego in your writing.

7. It helps you get to know your censor, which is ego, nonetheless, it is worth mentioning again — being that our inner critical voice, can feel relentless.

8. It helps you build self-compassion.

9. You’ll start to know your writing voice.

10. You’ll start to trust your writing voice.

11. It will help you discover your message.

12. It will help you find your style.

13. Your vocabulary will expand.

14. You will start to see your life in a richer context.

15. It will inspire you.

16. It is a healthy consistency practice, which is important when motivation is nowhere to be found.

17. It will help you become a better communicator.

18. It is a fantastic mind gym for building confidence.

19. It will help you create more story ideas and topics.

20. It will give you a sense of accomplishment.

I created this piece from one of my writing practices on a glorious early morning back in the summer. I love reading writing tips and never get tired of them.

Being human, we innately desire to feel connected, and so sharing our struggles and procrastinations inspires us to get up and do the work.

Thank you for reading