Thursday, December 1, 2016

Writing Habits


Do you have a writing schedule? Do you write everyday?
One of the things I’ve always been told is you need to write everyday.

It’s a habit that many good writers follow. I run a BIAW four times a year for my writing group, Kiss of Death. The message I try to get across to the participants is that the purpose of BIAW is to develop a habit of writing every day. The actual word count is secondary. If it’s 100 words every day for the week, you’re on track for making your writing a habit. Then you need to keep it up after BIAW finishes.
Maybe find a writing partner and post totals every day. It’s the accountability factor. If you’re being honest and have to check in with someone everyday it should encourage you to write a few words w everyday.

People tell me they didn’t have time to write – family interfered, it was a long day at work.
My reply is, you can find a few minutes. What about ten minutes before you go to bed? Or maybe 15 minutes during a lunch hour if you work? Or get up ten minutes earlier and write?

Other things such as NaNo, to me, it’s not so much finishing, it’s writing a few words every day.

How badly do you want it? Can you find a few minutes every day?
Do you write every day? How do you manage it?

6 comments:

  1. I try to write in bed at night but lately I'm crashed so early! I'll fit it in.

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    1. I couldn't write in bed - not at night. I'd fall asleep, but often I write first thing in the morning as soon as I wake up, because I often have ideas about the story then.

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  2. I try, but sometimes I fail. You make me want to try harder - on some days, I only write a short paragraph, but at least it's something!

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    1. It's hard, but even five minutes a day. It becomes a habit and then it's hard to break.

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  3. I also try to write each day, but I'm a terrible procrastinator. Most days I tell myself I'll start as soon as I do one more thing, and then one more. Before I know it, it's time for family responsibilities to kick in. It's a terrible habit that I have to break, or my next book will never see the light of day. Thanks for the tips.

    Mia McKimmy

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    1. That is so easy to do. Maybe write 5 minutes before you go to bed. You won't go to bed much later and you shouldn't have anything to do at that time.

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