6 Simple Tricks for Building a Strong Writing Habit [Part 1]

Do you ever feel like your writing life would be so much easier if only you could stay inspired?

Maybe you had an initial burst of enthusiasm for the project you’re working on, but it quickly faded and now you’re struggling.

You haven’t blogged for weeks and weeks.

You’re stuck on Chapter 3 of your novel and have been for months.

You can’t even seem to finish a short story.

The truth is, inspiration will only get you so far. Of course it’s wonderful to feel on fire as a writer—words flying from your fingers, the world vanishing around you. When you’re in the zone, you can’t wait to get to your desk.

But, for most of us, that’s not really our daily writing reality.

Simply getting yourself at your desk ready to work might feel like leaping a pretty huge hurdle.

This is where habit trumps inspiration.

If you’re in the habit of writing, sitting down and getting on with it is as natural as brushing your teeth. It’s part of your daily or weekly routine.

(I don’t believe you have to write every day, though some writers swear by it. If you want to build up any momentum, though, you do need to write regularly, though, which – for most writers – means at least once a week.)

So how exactly do you form a writing habit?

Here are six easy tricks to try right now. You don’t need to sit around waiting for inspiration to strike, and you don’t need superhuman levels of willpower.

#1: Make Your Writing Environment Work for You
If I could only give you only one tip, it would be this one: make the place you write work for you. Your writing environment matters more than you might think.

If you sit on the sofa with your laptop, but always find yourself picking up the TV remote ten minutes into your writing session, try sitting at the kitchen table.

If you write at home but feel constantly distracted by all the chores you need to get done, try writing in a coffee shop. (Or even better, in a library.)

If you find that noise intrudes on your thoughts, put on headphones and listen to music or white noise.

These probably sound obvious… but so many writers don’t make the small tweaks to their environment that could make all the difference.

#2: Experiment with Different Times of Day – then Pick One
Chances are, your productivity levels wax and wane throughout the day. You might find yourself writing page after page almost effortlessly in the mornings, but you struggle to string together a sentence after lunch.

Even if you think you know when you’re at your best, try writing at different times of the day. You might surprise yourself.

Once you’ve found a good writing slot, try to stick with it for most of your writing sessions. Of course you can (and should!) write at other times if you feel moved to do so, but having a regular writing slot makes it much easier to build a habit.

#3: Work in Timed Bursts
This is my favorite trick for getting anything done – simply set a timer. I’ve got one running right now. I normally use Tomato Timer, which is designed to fit with the Pomodoro technique – 25 minute bursts. Tick Tock Timer is a good one for other lengths of time.

While the timer is running, write. Don’t check email or chat on Facebook. Just write.

If you’re not used to doing this, it can be surprisingly hard: you may well find yourself having to resist, almost every minute or two, the impulse to stop writing and do something else.

Setting the timer sets your intention. It’s a promise to yourself that you are going to write for 25 minutes (or 15 or 40 or whatever works for you).

It helps you focus and resist distractions – there’s an end in sight.

This trick works especially well if you know you’ll struggle to be as focused as usual. Right now, my teething baby son is asleep in the pushchair next to me. It’s been a busy day (and a rather sleepless night) and I know that, without a timer, I’d have written a couple of sentences of this post and then been distracted by Facebook.


Credit: Write to Done