How To Build A Writing Habit For Beginners, By A Beginner
The world is still hungry for more great work
You see it all the time. A new writer appears on the platform, they show up consistently, and their followers grow. Their readers gobble up their content and wait eagerly for the next serving. Soon they’re sharing their tips for building writing success. It’s simple, but it’s not easy, they advise. But those who went ahead of you have left pointers for the road ahead.
Are you a beginner eager to learn how to build a writing habit?
Here is a collection of ideas and strategies from other writers I’ve picked up on my writing journey.
1. How to Become World-Class at Anything by Duncan Riach
“Understand that learning is exponential.” Future development is informed by all previous development. The amount learned on day ten will not be the same as that on day one. You might not see the gains at the early stages as they are not large enough, but keep going. Trust that there is growth and continue to build upon it.
“This is the nature of mastery: the better we get, the better we’re able to get.” — Duncan Riach
2. Be a Beginner Every Single Morning by Ye Chen
Approach your writing with the belief that there is more to learn. “The moment we say, “I know,” we put a stop to our ability to know more, our cup is full, and we don’t want or need to know more. On the contrary, a beginner’s mind, a cup that isn’t already full, one that has space for learning, experience, personal growth, and life’s many lessons, can obtain a world of knowledge and experience we neglected in the first place.”
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s there are few.” — Shunryu Suzuki
3. This Is Why You Should Write (Not Publish) Every Day by Itxy Lopez
The pressure to publish daily makes it difficult for words to flow. It can lead to burnout and doesn’t allow you to create your best quality work, “…which is why I’m not telling you to upload every day. I’m suggesting you write every day.” There are numerous benefits to writing every day, but the greatest benefit is that you are building your writing muscle.
“Don’t worry about publishing every day. I used to be a stickler for that, but all it did was throw me into burnout and made me question if I wanted to be a writer anymore. Instead, write. It’s the most important thing you can do as a writer.” — Itxy Lopez
4. Prompt Books to Help You Write by Claire Handscombe
The writer lists books that helped her at various stages of her writing journey. From nurturing and encouraging books for the beginner to books that help you think like a writer.
“When I started writing seriously, I found books of prompts invaluable in getting both my pen and my ideas flowing. Maybe you will too.” — Claire Handscombe
5. Don’t Forget! How to Conquer a Writer’s Biggest Fear and Remember Your Best Ideas by Writer’s Relief
Is it just me or do ideas seem to strike at the most inopportune times; in the shower, as you are talking to a friend or as you nod off to sleep? You are sure you will remember them but by the time you sit down to write, the ideas have evaporated. Notebooks, retracing your steps and creating a song with your ideas can help you remember.
“I do not care what you concentrate on, so long as you concentrate. It’s the mere disciplining of the thinking machine that counts.”— Arnold Bennett, How to Live on 24 Hours a Day. Writer’s Relief
6. Writing Flow: How to Find It When Doubts Get in the Way by Cynthia Marinakos
Writing won’t always feel good; there are days when the words will refuse to flow. Days when the flow is blocked by our doubts. There are ways to overcome the doubts. These include focusing on past successes, breathing deeply, letting go of worries and getting a good night’s sleep.
“Remember that every day is different. Be compassionate and kind to yourself, as you would to a good friend. Keep writing with these in mind, constantly, and you will find your flow more often, you will love writing more deeply every day, as I have.” — Cynthia Marinakos
7. A Writer’s Block Hack That Actually Works; and No, I’m Not Telling You to Just Write By Charlene Fate
How do you channel your anxious energy if you are suffering from writer’s block? “Create. Something. Anything.” Take photos, draw, colour or paint, have a conversation and record it.
“Creating things works the brain. It’s thinking. Building. Moulding the creative side and generating ideas.” — Charlene Fate
8. How to Use Music to Boost Your Productivity by Helly Douglas
Music blocks distractions and helps you maintain a flow state leading to productivity. Turning on your working music can become a signal to your brain and body that it’s time to write. You will be surprised by how much more you can achieve with no distractions.
“Using background music is often suggested as a simple way to maintain focus whilst writing.But tuning into a radio station could do your concentration more harm than good. If you want to keep your productivity levels high, you need to find music that blocks the distractions but still let’s you think.” — Helly Douglas
9. Harmful Habits That Break Your Focus When You Write by Itxy Lopez
“You need to figure out what’s hurting your writing process.” Perhaps you keep thinking about your to-do list, or you are distracted by the notifications from your phone. Perhaps you sat down to write without a topic in mind or you have not found your prime creative writing time. Identifying and breaking these habits will help you focus.
“If you want to change, only you can create that change. Not every situation will be ideal or perfect, but you can accommodate your routine to your lifestyle. You can get it as accurate as possible so you can reach your writing goals.” — Itxy Lopez
10. Signs You Have an Unhealthy Relationship With Your Emotions by Nick Wignall
What motivates your behaviour? Is it logic or emotions? “We might think of ourselves as rational decision-makers, but the majority of the time we’re motivated by how we feel, not what we think.” But, what are emotions exactly… Thoughts? Feelings? Sensations? Concepts? Some weird blend of all of the above? “What we all agree is that some emotions feel good and others feel bad. So we spend our lives running away from bad emotions and seeking good ones.” But this belief only leads to suffering.
“…the opportunity cost of which is that they have no time or energy to play offence, to really go after the things they truly love. You miss out on life.” — Nick Wignall
11. How to Find Amazing Unsplash Images That No One Else Is Using by Finding Shawn Forno
Have you had the experience of mindlessly scrolling through your feed when you get hit by a photo? It stops you in your tracks and draws you in immediately; like a moth to a flame. As a writer, you need to put as much effort into your choice of image as you do to your writing. This detailed piece by Shawn Forno breaks down the how-to in an easy to understand format.
“We shop with our eyes and a good story can be wasted with a useless picture.” — Shawn Forno
12. 26 Weak Words That Water Down Your Writing and How to Fix Them by Linda Caroll
You have a duty as a writer to make your work interesting. If your reader has to read your sentences three times to understand them, they will leave. “Gosh, maybe you should write about self-help or whatever you think is popular. It’s usually not the topic. A good writer can make any topic interesting. If you cut all the fluff and filler words that aren’t necessary, you make it easier for the reader.”
“The point is to become aware of bad writing habits. To find the fluff that has your name on it. We all have some.” — Linda Caroll
13. 80 Uplifting Headline Words That Will Capture Readers With Positivity by Cynthia Marinakos
Car crashes, cancer, bombs, words that frequently appear in headlines. But this is because negativity sells. How do you spread positivity without losing your readers? “You’ve got to get more creative: Enlighten, instil hope, use humour, appeal to your reader’s sense of pride, reveal, challenge, empower, and surprise.”
“Let’s stop feeding the cruel voices in our minds, and the insecurities in our hearts that arise from our exposure to fear, hate, anger, jealousy, envy, and sadness.” — Cynthia Marinakos
14. The Simplest Cure for Creative Envy by Zulie Rane
“When creative people see others accomplishing amazing things, they often enter the emotional muddle of professional envy.” Envy will not lead you to create quality work; it shuts down the part of our brains that can create freely. “But creative envy isn’t really about your work, it’s about you. Whenever the feeling arises, it’s usually because another person has accomplished your deeply held desires, even if you didn’t even know you had them.” Use envy as a tool to help you get in touch with your desires.
“There will always be someone more successful than you, no matter how high you rise.” — Zulie Rane
15. Stop Staring at Your Stats and Do This Instead by Manj Bahra
It s easy to become addicted to the stats page. The constant notifications of highlights, claps, and followers provide validation to your progress. But it can get obsessive and derail you from the important work of creation. “Stats are important but never more so than the fundamental requirement to write. Be a producer and not a consumer, remind yourself why you are on this platform and never lose sight of this beautiful gift you have of being able to create and share content to millions through this platform quickly.”
“We can’t lose sight of the benefit the stats page provides us. With that in mind, rather than ignoring its existence, we can choose how to live with it.” — Manj Bahra
16. I Could Only Succeed Once I Accepted Success Comes at Any Age, and You’re Not Too Late, Either by Mauro Sacramento
From Stephen King to J.K Rowling, Samuel L. Jackson to Morgan Freeman, the writer highlights how being patient paid off for these creatives. Building a writing habit won’t always be easy, but nothing worth having is easy to get. Be prepared for the long haul. “You see, there’s no deadline or expiration date on your chances at success. If you haven’t made it yet, chances are you still haven’t learned all the skills you need to succeed.”
“Success is rarely instant. If you want to succeed, you need to keep trying over and over again; if you never give up, you can never fail.”-Mauro Sacramento
You do not need to reinvent the wheel. By following a process, you shorten your learning curve and improve your chances of longevity. Use the success of others to motivate you; to show you what is possible.
“Because there’s still one story we haven’t heard yet, one idea we haven’t seen: Yours. So it’s time to give us what you’ve got. To share your gift. It’s not too late.” — Jeff Goins
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