How to Build a Writing Routine You’ll Actually Keep

“You don’t need to write 2,000 words a day to be a writer. You just need a routine that works for you.”

Asa writer myself, I know just how hard it can be to create a writing routine. With so many different ‘successful’ writers telling us to “do these things to succeed…” or “Follow this 1,000 step guide to being a better writer…” How do you really know which one is right for you?

We have been taught that successful routines look a certain way. Wake up at 5am to start your day productively, write for long hours with hardly any breaks, make sure you write at least “___” amount of words a day in order to be successful. But, in my opinion, when it comes to something as creative as writing, it’s not a one-size-fits-all. Your writing routine should be personal, as personal as the stories you tell, the articles you write, or the blog that you have.

This article isn’t about giving you a pre-made schedule for you to follow, it’s about helping you to find one that works for you. Whether you write best in the quiet of dawn or the middle of a chaotic afternoon, or at night (if you’re like me), the goal is to create a routine that feels natural, manageable, and motivating. One that supports your creativity instead of stifling it.

This article is for writers who’ve tried, and failed, to follow rigid systems that weren’t built for their real lives. If you’ve ever set ambitious goals only to burn out, or convinced yourself you’re not a “real writer” because you don’t write every day, trust me when I say that you’re not alone. Writing routines are deeply personal, and the most effective ones come from intentional design, not imitation.

Throughout this article, we’ll explore how to understand your natural writing energy, define what consistency looks like for you, and build supportive habits that make writing feel doable, even on hard days (we all have them). We’ll talk about space, accountability, rituals, and more. Because the goal isn’t perfection; it’s sustainability. Because the best writing routine is the one you’ll actually keep coming back to.

🧠 Step 1: Know Your Writing Energy

Your writing energy is that moment during the day that you feel more creative, more productive. I learnt the hard way that I am a night owl, and definitely not a morning person or early bird. I have tried, over the years, to stick to a schedule where I would sit down at my laptop at 9am, and then proceed to stare at the screen for ages, trying to de-muddle my brain and start working. Let me tell you, it didn’t work. Shocking, I know.

Now, that doesn’t mean that I can only write or work at night, but it does mean that I am about as useless as a flat spoon in the mornings. Does that mean that I am not productive? No. Does that mean that I shouldn’t be a writer? Definitely not. So I ditched the ready-made plans and schedules that I had tried so hard to follow, and started focusing on my own creative energy. I found that working with short sprints throughout the day, starting at noon, worked much better for me than trying to follow a rigid 9–5 plan.

Which takes me to my next point. Some people work better with long stretches of writing, while others are more productive with short sprints and breaks in between. Finding which one works best for you is going to help reduce burnout and increase productivity.

The only person you are competing with is yourself. You don’t have to look at what other writers are doing and think “They are better than me.” They’re not, they just work differently. Their plan works for them, but that doesn’t mean that it will work for you. Think about when you work best and focus on that, on the when.

Questions to Reflect On:

• Are you a morning person or a night owl?
• Do you focus better in long stretches or short sprints?
• Be honest about when and how you work best — not when you think you should.
• When do you naturally feel most creative?
• How long can you realistically write before burning out?

📅 Step 2: Define What “Routine” Means to You

Routine. That dreaded word. From a young age, we are taught, or at least I was, that routine is something we do every day, from a specific time to a specific time. And that, if you do not fulfill this, you have failed at your routine. Trust me when I say that I hated that word. Hated it until I realised that routine doesn’t mean that it has to be every day, at a specific time. Routine simply means that you have to be consistent in what you do.

Your routine can be anything you want it to be. If it’s writing 3 times a week, great. If it’s 15 minutes writing before breakfast, perfect. If it’s weekend-only writing marathons, wonderful. All routines are perfect in my eyes, because they are there to help you reach your goals, stay productive and, more importantly, to keep you writing. Thus, they are perfect. All of them.

Discovering what routine works best for you takes time, and you will probably go through some trial and error. But let me tell you, it’s worth it in the end. Set out your routine by giving yourself small goals, the trick is small, if you write out a long list of complicated goals, you are going to dread it before you even start. Again, goals can be whatever you want, and by starting small, you keep yourself motivated to continue. By setting these goals and constantly, or almost constantly, meeting them, your routine will start to fall into place without you even realising it.

It’s okay not to meet all of your goals every week. Life happens and we are only human. I am normally happy if I complete 80% of them. So don’t feel bad if you don’t reach 100% all of the time.

🎯 Step 3: Set Trackable, Flexible Goals

Talking about goals… you want to make sure that you write down specific things to help you achieve them. Goals like “write something” are too vague and not something that you can track and increase as your goals grow. Instead, try things like “write 500 words,” “finish writing 1 scene,” “write for 30 minutes.”

See the difference? Sitting down and writing for 30 minutes is doable and, when you have finished, you can happily cross that goal off of your list. As I mentioned above, start slow with your goals, writing 500 words is much easier to achieve than “write for 5 hours,” “or write 4 chapters.” As your routine grows, your goals will also, so keep them small and add to them over time.

Using a calendar, habit tracker, or writing app can also be a valuable asset to creating your routine as they will help you to see your progress and writing patterns. Just remember to factor in grace days, you are human after all.

🧘 Step 4: Create a Ritual, Not Just a Schedule

If you’re anything like me, words matter. And, just like I still don’t really like the word ‘routine’, I also don’t like ‘schedule’. I prefer the word ‘ritual’. Much more whimsical, don’t you think? It changes how your brain sees the tasks ahead. It switches my brain into writing mode.

My ritual is specific to me. When it’s time for me to write, I make a cup of tea, turn off all distractions, and put on a playlist to help me get into my “zone”.

Your ritual can be whatever you want it to be. And once you have created it, you will feel like you are entering a space for you to be creative, not starting a chore that you may come to dread.

📍 Step 5: Choose (and Protect) Your Writing Space

Your ritual is as important as the space you choose for writing. Whether it’s a full desk, a corner of the sofa, or a coffee shop, your space matters. It is a good idea to make that space easy to access when you want to use it, and also make it so that it is pleasant to return to in the future. In the case that you prefer to write outside of your home, adjust this to that space as well.

Another thing I have found to be quite important is setting boundaries for your writing time. I have a husband, two sons, and four cats. So setting boundaries for me wasn’t just recommended, it was a necessity. I don’t know how many times I’ve sat down to write and then immediately heard the word “mum” repeated over and over. Now, I have boundaries set. My family knows that, when I sit in my space, it is my writing time, and they do not interrupt that time unless they really need to. The cats still haven’t got the memo though.

Remember, your writing time is valid time and should be respected, both by you and by others.

🧩 Step 6: Adjust as You Go

Life is not stagnant and your routine should not be either. Here are a few things to keep in mind, when setting your routine and also when it has already been established:

• Life changes. So will your routine.
• Don’t cling to a system that’s stopped working.
• Track when your motivation dips — adjust instead of quitting.

Journal Prompts:

• What made writing feel easier this week?
• What time slot or location helped me focus best?

Your routine doesn’t need to be impressive, it just needs to be sustainable. Think of it as something you commit to, nurture, and evolve with. Keep adjusting your routine until it fits you, you don’t have to copy someone else’s and hope it will work. And remember, the best routine is one that you will return to.

“What writing routine has actually worked for you, and what definitely hasn’t?” Let me know in the comments and, as always, if you have made it to here and like my article, please give me a follow!

Thanks for reading!