Recently I decided I wanted to journal every morning. I’ve written in journals sporadically throughout my life. There are at least 20 half-empty notebooks tucked away in my attic and on a dusty shelf on my bedside table. Committing to writing every day can be an intimidating habit, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’d like to start writing every day here are five tips to get you going.
Why you should start writing every day
First, identify your motivation. Are you ready to write a book? I found the best way to start and finish a first draft is to tackle it consistently until it’s finished. But instituting a daily practice of journaling requires a different approach. I decided I wanted to journal after hearing numerous writers rave about Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. The concept that she introduced years ago called Morning Pages has been transformative for those who’ve embraced the habit. I’m a novelist. I work on my manuscripts consistently each week, but sometimes my self-defeating thought patterns inhibit my creativity before I’ve even started. I wanted to try the practice of journaling daily before my workday started to sort of cleanse the creative palate and use journaling as a jumping-off point for my daily creative efforts. So be sure to identify why you want to start writing every day.
How to get started writing every day
In his New York Times bestselling book Atomic Habits James Clear dives deep into the process of establishing a new habit or breaking an old one. I highly recommend this book. It’s incredible and packed with both practical tips and sound research. The premise is you have to set up a system designed for the outcome you want to achieve. If you want to start writing you are going to have to set yourself up for success. What does that look like?
I’m so glad you asked. Here are five tips to get you going.
1. Choose a comfortable place to write. Pick a spot where you will write each day, whether it’s at a desk, in a coffee shop, or on your couch. Make it a goal to write in that spot each day.
My personal favorites are the kitchen table and dictating while I take a walk through the neighborhood.
Combining dictation and exercise is a fantastic way to accomplish two goals at once: getting words out of your head and moving your body. Dictation requires very little equipment to get started, and the tools are portable. All you need is a smartphone with a speech-to-text app.
2. Set a regular time for writing. Whether it’s first thing in the morning, last thing at night, or an hour in the middle of the day, find a time that works for you and stick to it.
3. Get rid of distractions. Turn off the TV, put away your phone, and find a quiet place to write. If you do not live alone, consider having a conversation with your roommate, partner or children about your goals and discuss how you can carve out a time and place to get your writing done with minimal interruption.
4. Set a goal for yourself. Whether it’s a certain word count, a certain number of pages, or a certain amount of time spent writing, having a goal will help you stay on track. Tracking your progress is also super important. A spreadsheet, marking off words on a sticky note, coloring in a shape on a coloring page, jotting down your word count in your planner…the tracking options are endless. Choose one that works for you.
5. Find a writing buddy: This may be a scary proposition, but finding others who are interested in writing will make your journey so much sweeter. Find someone who also wants to develop a writing habit, and agree to write together. This will hold you both accountable. The structure of your accountability partnership will vary widely. Connecting online through direct message, texting each other, and setting up Voxer and recording a message with a progress update are a few ways to offer encouragement.
Final thoughts on how to start writing every day
Developing a writing habit can be difficult, but it’s worth it. By setting reasonable goals and making a commitment to write each day, you can make writing a part of your daily routine. For more helpful tips on how to establish a habit, I really enjoyed Kendra Adachi’s podcast episode #296 How to Lazy Genius Your Habits.
Last week I finally admitted to my editor that I want to write a dual-timeline novel. Then immediately panicked because I don’t know how. It’s a daunting task, not to mention a massive commitment. But yesterday I read this quote by Paulo Coelho, “One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do all the things you wanted to. Do it now.”
So I’m in. No matter how intimidated I feel, I’m going to figure out how to write a dual-timeline novel.
Have you established a consistent writing habit? Or have you tried Morning Pages? Please leave a comment and let me know. I’d love to hear more about your writing process.
