Building A Writing Habit

Nov 1st is around the corner, and with it the launch of the Novel Quest! 🤩🤩

Whether you're looking for tips to prepare, or want to use this challenge as your starting point, here are ways to lean into a writing habit. ✒️ We do recommend starting on some of these before November because going from zero regular writing to much regular writing can be exhausting.

Photo by Nubelson Fernandes on Unsplash

• Set up a ritual - Do a little something that serves as a switch in your brain to signal it's writing time. Your ritual could be lighting a candle, using a very specific mug to drink from, heading to the library, or settling down at a cafe (my favorite!).

• Be consistent - For some of you, that might be putting time on the calendar. Every Thursday from 6-9 is writing time! For others, it might mean you open your document for 30 minutes every night between dinner and bed. Or that you dedicate your time on the train to typing on your phone's keyboard. Set up a time, daily, or weekly, and keep it.

• Bring a friend - Accountability can be a huge help in setting up a habit. Just like having a friend in your yoga class gets you there, having a writing buddy during your consistent writing time will help you show up.

• Set reasonable goals - If the writing you want to do is daunting and looming over your shoulder, you might ignore it by never showing up at the keyboard. Instead, break things down. Have your goal be 10 min of writing. Or 500 words. Or half a page. Something you know won't scare you off.

• Track your writing - Put writing on your to-do list app. Color a square in your bullet journal, or give yourself a little sticker on the calendar. Tracking your writing gives you a serotonin boost when you can make that mark, but also visualizes your habit. When I can see on my chart I've not written for three days, I'm more likely to write on the fourth.

• Make it fun! - If you don't like it, you won't do it. So make sure you're having fun - be it sharing your work, chatting with friends as take a writing break, or wearing a silly hat. You do you.

For those of who you already have a writing habit, how did you build it?