Building a Writing Routine

Writing consistently and productively isn't just talent or something you're born with. It takes discipline, rhythm and an environment conducive to creativity. Whether you're working on a novel, short stories, a blog or a University assignment, a strong writing routine can turn inspiration into actuality.

I've got ten tips to create your rhythm and establish a productive writing habit:

1. Define Your Why

This is often overlooked but is important when you are looking to establish a productive writing habit. You need to clarify why you want to write in the first place. What is your purpose in this?

Do you want to finish a book? Grow a blog? Enter some short story competitions? Complete a University degree?

Knowing your purpose will help you stay motivated and prevent you from feeling like writing is a chore that just needs to get done.

2. Set Realistic Goals

Big goals are always fun. It's exciting to plan out completing a novel or getting a bunch of stories written for a competition. However, these large goals can sometimes be overwhelming on their own. Smaller goals are more realistic and feel less daunting in the beginning.

For example, my current goal is to complete a novel, and I've split this up into a daily goal, a weekly goal and a long-term goal:

Daily: Write a minimum of 500 words a day

Weekly: Complete a chapter

Long-Term: Finish novel by the end of the year

Small winds create confidence and encourage consistency. You feel good when you hit those small goals, and it pushes you towards completing your long-term goal.

3. Set a Dedicated Time To Write

Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.

- Pablo Picasso

Find the time of day when your focus is the strongest. It may be first thing in the morning, or late in the evening. Sometimes, people work best at breakfast over a coffee or in the afternoon sitting at a cafe. It's helpful to find the time that works best for you to build a daily routine.

I live a hectic life, so I plan my writing around that. I work best at night, so I sit down around 8pm and set an hour aside to write. I can accomplish a lot during this time.

Short bursts of focused writing are far more valuable than hours of distracted writing.

4. Create an Environment That Encourages Writing

The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.

- Mark Twain

Many studies have shown that your physical environment can significantly impact your innovation and creativity.

It can be hard to create a good environment. My house is surrounded by kids' toys, loud noise and lots of distractions. It's important to find a creative environment in the midst of chaos.

Find a way to create an environment that encourages writing. Silence your phone, set up a desk or a quiet spot to work. Consider popping on music or a podcast if that helps you work.

I usually turn my phone to silent and sit in the corner of the couch at night to work. I find it quiet and use whatever my husband is spending the evening doing as my background noise, which helps me to stay focused.

5. Create An Outline

Don't go into a project blindly. Always start with an outline, a basic roadmap to signal what direction you're going in. Write out what you want every chapter to contain or structure headings in a blog first. Outline what you're planning on doing so that when it's time to write, you know what you need to do.

6. Don't Be a Perfectionist

The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.

- Terry Pratchett 

Your first draft is just that - a first draft. Write freely and worry about editing later. If you focus too much on editing in the beginning, you'll lose momentum and stunt your creativity. As Ernest Hemingway so brilliantly said:

The first draft of anything is shit.

7. Track Your Progress

Tracking your progress can help to maintain consistency and build accountability. Record your word counts, time spent and progress you've made. It can help to know what's been working and what hasn't.

You can always change your routine. If you find you're not writing well in the morning, switch to the evenings. If being out is too distracting, consider finding a quiet spot at home. Writing is all about consistency and flexibility. You'll find the routine that works for you, it just takes some time.

8. Find Accountability

Accountability can help you to stay consistent. My husband is the person that holds me accountable, always ensuring that I spend some time writing each week. It's important to find something that will keep you on track, whether it's a person or an online community.

You can participate in events like NaNoWriMo to push your writing further and hold yourself accountable for a month. Or you can share your goals publicly, such as on a blog, to hold yourself visibly accountable. It can really help to have that set up so you don't slack off and forget about the routines you're setting in place.

Man must cease attributing his problems to his environment, and learn again to exercise his will – his personal responsibility.

- Albert Einstein

A writing routine is all about habitual creativity. It's about getting a routine in place to really sit down and allow the creativity to flow. By showing up regularly, you're training your mind to find those ideas quickly. The more you write, the more natural it becomes.

I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o'clock sharp.

- W. Somerset Maugham.