Create A Writing Routine

It’s that time of the week – Tuesday Discussion.

From those who are new, each week I post a topic (relevant to my WIP) and try to unravel the mysteries and perspectives of it. Last weeks post was Paperback or Electronic Books and this week is:

Do you Create a Writing Routine?

One of the things I have difficulty with in my writing life is a lack of commitment to doing it every day. I set goals and for one reason or another, I create lame excuses of how and why I didn’t have the time. It is extremely important to the success of a writer, and how we evolve in our craft, to make a habit of writing every day.

Do you create a writing routine or wait for inspiration to strike?

I have met some authors that write when the inspiration strikes, it falls roughly into the same time but for me, I can’t do that, otherwise, I’ll be forever waiting.

I need to create daily writing habits to help clear my mind and begin generating a current of ideas to hopefully, with consistency, get stronger over time. Writing is truly a discipline. Here are three strategies I have used to create a daily writing habit:

Find a place. The space we claim in order to escape from reality and find inspiration can be anywhere. The important thing is that it is a place where you can focus and allow your thoughts to wander creatively.
Pick a time. Are you a morning person or a night owl? I write best at night when the world is falling asleep. Find the time that fits you best and is consistent. Show up, sit down, and get busy.
Set a goal. Setting goals that are realistic and reflect how much you are able to accomplish in a day, is crucial. Maintaining consistency coincides with how realistic we’ve set our goals. Nothing will kill motivation faster than setting the goal too high only to realize you cannot reach it. I like to set a minimum of 4 pages if I do that when I am tired, I can walk away feeling accomplished.

Make a point to stick to your guns and write every day or when you have set your routine. On the days you don’t want to, write anyway. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you miss your goal, that’s okay. Make up for it next time.

Post your comments and answers below. If you think someone has an interesting point of view and answer, please invite them or share this post with them.

#DWTSmith #creatingroutine

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