10 Tricks to Maintain a Consistent Writing Practice
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Many of us have made writing goals in the New Year. In these first heady days of possibility and excitement, we may find it easy to stick to our commitment – to write every day, to write a certain number of words per day or week, to finally finish that book that’s been dragging on (and on...).
But sooner or later, our commitment will flag. Or maybe even today, as we contemplate the blank page, it seems overwhelming to even start. Or our fears get the best of us: What if it isn’t any good? What if I never get published, or can’t replicate my success? What if I’m a terrible writer?
The blank page can be intimidating, whether it’s a brand-new piece, or the next scene of a novel. No surprise! It’s hard to perform on demand. We’re told (I tell it to my clients) that it’s best to have a scheduled time to write. Put it in the calendar. Make it a sacred commitment.
But too often, when it comes to that moment, we let anxiety get the best of us. Time to write? Bingo. Our imaginations go into overdrive on all the reasons we really don’t want to write right now. Here are some of mine:
I don’t have anything to say.
I’m tired.
Maybe I should read that craft book/do some more research first.
I don’t think it’s any good, anyway.
I’m sure it will be fine if I only play Candy Crush for a few minutes. Or check Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to make sure I haven’t missed anything.
And my favorite…
I’ll write tomorrow. I always think this with great conviction, and a sense of relief. Yes! Tomorrow, I will definitely feel like writing! Guess what happens when tomorrow comes?
Scheduling my writing is only half the story. The real magic happens when I’m actually prepared to write at my scheduled writing time. Here are a few strategies I use to help make sure I’m ready to go, no matter what:
Have a consistent writing schedule. Yep, this goes back to scheduling. But it is important. If you don’t know when you’re going to write, you leave it to chance, and to whether you feel like it or not. Result: very little, if any, writing done. Go through your calendar at the beginning of each week (at least) and actually write in your writing time. Put an alarm on your phone, preferably with a fun tone that puts you in a good mood. I also have a Weekly Writing Planner that helps me organize my goals for that week and think about any questions I have or research I need to do.
Sit down the night before and think about what you’re going to write the next day. I know, I know. But it works. Take a few minutes and think about what is coming up the next day – a new scene? Blog post? Article? Maybe even make a few notes (by hand — get that mind-body connection going). That way you will a) be more likely to write because you have a plan and are excited about it; and b) your mind will be percolating on it while you sleep, and you may come up with the perfect idea or solution to a story problem.
Always leave the day before in the middle of a sentence. An oldie but a goodie, inspired by something Hemingway said. If you leave your work in the middle of a sentence — or a paragraph — you automatically have a place to start the next day. Similarly, I often make a few notes at the end of a day’s writing about what comes next. This might be an image, a snatch of dialogue, an idea. Just enough to get me going again.
Walk around and think. This is one of my favorites. I take 5 minutes to just walk before a writing period. I ground myself, and think about what I’m going to write. I play with some sentences in my head. Usually at the end of the five minutes, I’m eager to sit down to write. If I’m really stuck, I can walk longer. Sometimes a writing session is “walking around and making some notes.” That’s fine. It’s all part of the process. Movement helps, though, for two reasons: One, it gets the blood flowing to the brain, making it more likely I’ll come up with ideas. Two, if I’m walking around I can’t check social media, play games, or succumb to other distractions.
Meditate. Similar to walking, this settles your brain into a groove, helping you focus on writing. Take five minutes at the start of your writing period to just sit, take deep breaths, and ground yourself. You might close your eyes, and focus on what you can hear. Rub two fingertips together to feel the ridges there. Or keep your eyes open and look at an object with minute attention to details of color, shape, texture. This practice will calm you and make you much less susceptible to distraction (Sometimes walking works to dispel outside energy and anxiety; sometimes sitting does the trick. Experiment with both).
Have a tiny goal. Write for 15 minutes. Write 300 words. The thing is to make the goal so tiny your Resistant Brain can’t object. It may seem laughable, but every little bit does add up. Plus, once you get started you may well want to keep going. And if not, at least you’ve done something that day. Rather than beating yourself up for how little you accomplished, get in the habit of congratulating yourself for showing up and doing anything at all. A positive dopamine hit will do wonders for your motivation to show up again the next day, whereas if writing becomes a cesspool of negative self-talk, you won’t look forward to coming back, will you?
Have a writing buddy. Plan to check in with each other daily. Or even do a “write-in” where you’re together, either in person or on Zoom. Having that accountability plus feeding off each other’s creative energy can make it easier to commit to the process, no matter what happens. (I host a Write-In on Zoom every Monday-Friday from 8:00-9:00 am ET. To get in on it, contact me.)
20 Things Technique. Set a timer for 5 minutes and come up with a list of “20 Things…” Depending on where you are, you might come up with 20 actions your protagonist could take at this point. It might be 20 titles for your novel. 20 possible names for a character. 20 ways to begin the chapter. 20 article ideas. You get the idea. Just commit to 20, and don’t stop writing. This has two benefits: It loosens you up, and leaves no room for the Judge or the Perfectionist to put the brakes on before you’ve even started. You’re not committing to anything, and the ideas can be as crazy as you want. Also, you will often come up with your best ideas once you’ve already put down the first ones that pop out. It forces your brain to work a little harder, make new connections that can inspire you in new ways.
Vow to be open to whatever happens. Not every day is going to be easy or fun. You’ll be in terrific flow one day, then barely eke out 200 words the next. The creative process is not linear or predictable, and that is part of its beauty. If you can come to the page with intention but not expectation for a particular outcome, you may be surprised more often than not by what happens.
Check it off on a calendar – and don’t break the chain! This practice is attributed to Jerry Seinfeld. When you do show up, mark the occasion. Get a physical calendar and put a big red X when you complete a day’s writing. You’ll have a visible reminder of the progress you’re making. You can use a habit app instead if you prefer, just as long as there is some way to see how well you’re maintaining your commitment.
What are your tricks for staying consistent with your writing practice? Let us know in the comments!
