These Writing Tips Have Absolutely Nothing To Do With Writing

But they’ll rev up your output like nobody’s business

Hot take — most “how to write more” articles miss the point.

Sure, using the Pomodoro technique and writing morning pages can help. But much of the time, it isn’t about the act of writing itself.

Much of the time, it’s about how you’re feeling when you’re writing.

The problem is, we’re told by every wannabe content creator out there to ‘just write’. While I dislike the glibness with which this is repeated in and out of context, the main idea behind it is to not wait around for optimal conditions to strike before you get down to work — which, in principle, I agree with.

But the truth is, a twinge in your lower back or a slightly sticky sensation around your neck is dangerous precisely because they’re too small to stop you immediately.

“Just a twinge, right? I have work to do,” you tell yourself.

And so they persist, that twinge and that sticky sensation — first in the background, then creeping into the fore, slowing you down, little by little, until hours have gone by and you’re wondering why you’ve produced so much less than you thought you would.

In 2023, I want to give myself the best chance to write well, every single day. And that means listening to what my body is telling me as I write — and acting on it then and there. So if you’re looking for ways to improve your daily writing output that don’t involve “just write”, keep reading. Because I’ve seen these tips work, and they’re powerful.

1. Check your seated posture

You may be slumping without realising it, and slumping hurts your back muscles and builds up discomfort over time. Check your posture every 15 minutes or so and sit up straight, just like your mom instructed you to. And if you can, invest in a new chair. Mine is a simple hardback swivel chair from Ikea that’s much more conducive to good posture than the cushy stuff.

2. Drink a glass of water before every cup of coffee

I’m not going to tell you to drink less coffee, and you won’t listen to me if I do. But it does dehydrate you, so compensate by drinking the good stuff first.

3. Make sure your desk has enough light

For the longest time, I was wondering why I had so much trouble concentrating in the evenings. I’m a night owl — I ought to be flourishing in the evenings. But somehow I felt too slow and gloomy to perform.

Then I realised — my room didn’t have a desk light.

Actually, no. I did own a desk light. But it was in the cupboard, still in its original packaging. ADHD me had bought one and forgotten all about it.

You likely aren’t as monumentally forgetful as me (and if you are, let’s be friends). But if you’ve been feeling inexplicably down whenever you sit at your writing space, see if maybe tweaking the angle of the light helps, or getting a light in a different colour. (I like yellow light better than white light, for instance.)

4. Check your workspace temperature

Constantly feeling restless but can’t understand why? You may be slightly too hot/too cold. Even small discomforts there can spell death for your creativity over a period of time, so go ahead and tweak that thermostat until, like the baby bear’s porridge in the Goldilocks story, it’s “just right”. If your room isn’t temperature-controlled, open the windows if you’re feeling hot and have a blanket/jacket handy for the cold days.

5. Experiment with open vs closed doors

Sometimes a closed door can feel like you’re being boxed in (literally as well as figuratively). Other times, an opened door could be too distracting (especially if it’s noisy outside). Do whatever works for you on specific days and in specific places.

6. Check your screen brightness

If you’ve ever written through a low-level, hours-long headache, your laptop screen may be the culprit. I set my brightness to around 30–40% most of the time, and it helps more than you’d imagine.

7. Keep your phone face down

If you’re anything like most humans, you can’t actually stay away from your phone for that long. Because, you know, real life.

What you can do is put your phone on silent and keep it face down. When you aren’t confronted by a shiny screen full of apps, you’re less likely to be distracted by it. At the very least, the extra step of turning it over will act as a dissuasion.

8. Eat protein

I’ve been observing my food-productivity correlation for about three months now, and I’ve noticed that the days I didn’t get a hefty dollop of protein at lunch were also the days I was more sluggish and it took longer to move back into work mode.

Protein, as you don’t need me to tell you, is the building block of our existence. It boosts your energy levels, keeps you full longer, keeps the brain alert…all the good stuff, you know? So yes, scones and muffins are great writing snacks, but to stave off those random slumps, you’re better off with grilled chicken.

9. Experiment with speakers versus AirPods versus headphones

I don’t like listening to music while I write. But if you do, consider whether having something stuffed into your ears and emitting noise isn’t subtly giving you a headache. Try playing your music on speakers instead — and if you’re in a public place and can’t do that, try headphones instead. They’re a lot easier on the ears.

10. Read for 30 minutes before you start your day

Let’s sneak in something that’s on the obvious side — reading. As I’ve mentioned before, good literature is the protein that builds writing muscle, so ditch the easy stuff and pick up something challenging. It could be a dense novel, or a popular science book — anything that jolts the mind into ‘think’ mode rather than coasting it along beaten tracks.

11. Keep something colourful on your desk

Your writing desk is your forge. It’s where you dream, ideate and create, day in and day out. Keep that creativity alive with something colourful and happy that you can look up at from time to time and feel energised by. Mine is a ceramic unicorn that my spouse and I painted together. Her name is Maggie, and she watches over me while I write!

12. Invest in high-quality stationery

If you’re a longhand writing person like me, you know how much of a difference good stationery makes. If your pens and notebooks look pretty, you’ll want to pick them up, and it’s almost impossible to pick up a notebook and not write something in it. I have a bunch of colourful notebooks with my name on them that I ordered from this gorgeous small brand in India.

13. Do a ten-minute workout if you aren’t able to concentrate

Movement, even in small doses, beats the mid-day slump and jolts the mind back into action — while being good for your waistline. I do like my big workouts for my strength goals, but I’m also a huge fan of quick exercise regimes as a mid-day pick-me-up. You’ll find plenty of 10–20 minute workouts on YouTube, with and without equipment — my favourites are by growwithjo.

14. Wear fresh clothes before you sit down to write

Yes, we’ve all plopped down to work in our pyjamas, which we’ve been wearing for two nights straight. But I’ve been paying attention to how my body responds to that, and I feel subtly stickier wearing last night’s clothes. Not super uncomfortable, just…icky.

Which is why I make a conscious effort to freshen up and change in the morning before my writing. I’m not very good at this yet, I admit — depression makes staying clean extra-hard. But I’m trying. Because I know it helps.

15. Take naps in the afternoon

Afternoon lethargy is real, and sometimes even coffee or a ten-minute workout won’t be enough. Go ahead and get yourself a nap — not too long of a one, though, or you run the risk of post-nap grogginess. My sweet spot is 45–60 minutes.

In short,

• An optimised ambience
• A cleansed and comfortable body
• A nourishing routine

will do wonders for your writing practice without you having to change your writing style or increase your output. I am the most erratic writer alive, and even I’ve consistently seen better results on the days I listened to my needs than on the days I didn’t.

And you will, too.