How To Develop A Daily Writing Habit

One of the easiest temptations writers fall into is procrastination. There are days you wake up and just don't feel like writing anything. On such days, any other activity including scrolling through random posts on social media takes the lead.

To develop a daily writing habit, you must first deal with procrastination. If there's anything great writers have in common, it's the discipline to actually sit down and write.

Why Is A Daily Writing Habit Important?

If you have a writing project you're passionate about completing, discipline will be your watchword. One of the ways to remain consistent is to have a daily writing pattern. However, you must realize that writing daily doesn't mean overstretching yourself. Rather, it is developing the consistency to set a daily target and hit it.

The more you write, the more confident you become with your results. Also, a consistent writing habit helps you become a better writer.

Here's How To Develop A Daily Writing Habit

Try Journaling

If you're only just getting started in your writing journey, putting out words every day might be challenging. No need to feel pressured though, journaling is a great way to begin. With journaling, there's no pressure on word count or the need for perfection. It's just you penning down your thoughts. You can choose to do this first thing in the morning or any other time of the day. Regardless of the time, consistency is the goal.

Set up a writing space

Having an organized writing space can help you look forward to writing. Your writing space doesn't have to be fanciful by the way. Rather, think about comfort. Get a table and chair you're comfortable working on. What's more important is creating a conducive atmosphere for you to write in.

Don't overstress it

As much as you really want to write daily, you do not want to put too much pressure on yourself. Start by taking little writing rounds, say twenty to thirty minutes per day for starts. As time goes on, you can increase your writing time. Also, in the process of writing, allow yourself to make mistakes. Even when the ideas are seemingly bad, just go with the flow.

Include brainstorming in your daily writing habit

Sitting down to write every day without a prior idea of what you'll write about can be daunting. To make things easier, set aside some time to plan and brainstorm. That way, your writing time becomes more productive. Planning and brainstorming can include idea curation, outlining a project, etc. In the end, it all depends on what your writing involves.

Join a writers' group/project

While writing on your own is good, having a group of writers in your corner can be a motivation. Engaging in writing projects like NaNoWriMo is also a great starting point. Several writers have taken advantage of this opportunity to complete their first draft. With other writers in your corner, they can push you to write even on days you don't feel like writing.