WRITING ROUTINE
How To Create A Writing Routine You Won’t Want to Break
It’s time to give writing the attention and priority it deserves.
The idea around creating a writing routine is to let your mind and body know that it’s time to write. It’s not time to scroll through Twitter or check your unread messages and emails — it’s the time to sit down and write and only write.
- I can’t seem to find the time.
- My schedule is so busy.
- I have to do XYZ before I can start writing
Sounds familiar? This is often what’s said by people who want to develop a writing routine but struggle to start. Bluntly put these are excuses of procrastination and these people simply lack discipline.
By nature, we are all creatures of habit and so we crave routine. Like most things in life, without a routine, it’s too easy to procrastinate.
Turning writing into a habit is necessary if you want to write consistently. Forming a regular writing habit will allow you to hold yourself accountable for your goals, create a regular writing flow and as a result, keeps you on track.
If you follow these tips for establishing and, more importantly, sticking to a routine they’ll help you become a productive, prolific writer.
Schedule Time
Block out some time in your diary that cannot be interrupted. Find a time where other things can work around your writing times and don’t allow for distractions.
You can do this right now, open your calendar and allocate a realistic amount of time that you know you can afford. Schedule this time at least once a week and set an alarm to remind you.
Make this time Sacred
This time should be non-negotiable. If you can’t write every day, make sure you have time blocked out multiple times a month and review this schedule on a regular basis — it may be that you can allocate more time in future.
Not only will this help you stay consistent, but it will also keep you from booking in something else over your writing session and allow you to give writing the attention and priority it deserves.
Dedicated Writing Space
When establishing a writing routine having a dedicated writing space can help you get into the routine. Eliminating distractions is key here so wherever your space is, it must be a place where you’re comfortable and where no one will bother you.
Put your headphones on, disconnect other devices, concentrate and focus. This time is solely for writing.
Tell your loved ones
Telling your friends, family, and or loved ones will put pressure on you to commit to your writing habit.
Sharing your progress will incentivise you to stick to what you said you would do because you’ll want to live up to the expectations you’ve set for yourself.
Even if they are not actively holding you accountable, the simple act of sharing your commitments will help you hold yourself accountable.
Commitment
Once you’ve got a routine that works, you’ll need to stick to it. Your commitment to the routine itself can’t change. The repetition of a routine becomes the most important thing because it’ll allow you to reach a deeper state of mind. The more often you write, the easier it’ll be to establish an effective routine.
It’s important to understand where you can produce your best work and use this to your advantage. Forming a writing routine will give you direction and help you stay on track.
The key is to stick to your established routine by remembering to always prioritise your writing…texting your friend back or doing the laundry can wait.
If you enjoy reading stories like this and you want to support me, why not consider signing up for a Medium membership? It will only cost you $5 a month — and you’ll get access to all stories on Medium!
If you use this link, I will earn a small part of that, otherwise, if you want to stay updated when I share a new story, you can signup here, for my free newsletter!
If you liked this article, here are some other articles I know you will enjoy.