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5 Hacks to Create a Good Writing Habit
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Writing And Priorities
If you feel too overwhelmed for writing, list your goals in order of importance. Maybe writing is not your top goal and you are wasting energy thinking you should do it because you haven’t realized it.
If writing is near the top of your list, you need to decide what else can be let go. Get clear on your focus, say no to the things that are less important, and then follow through.
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Write For Just Fifteen Minutes
Professional writers rarely write for more than five or so hours a day because writing is mentally exhausting. This means you can get a lot done in a short amount of time.
You might not have five hours to write, but almost everyone has fifteen minutes. To keep yourself focused as you write, consider writing with a timer.
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Stop Checking Email
Many use email as a to-do list, which leaves them reacting to life instead of living it according to goals.
It’s difficult to write when you’re checking email every five minutes. Don’t check emails during your daily writing time.
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Lower Your Expectations (For Now)
It takes practice, time and some luck, to write a great story. Settle for a non-perfect story for now.
When you sit down to write your first story, it might not be very good. But later, you’ll edit and rewrite it to make it better.
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Make It Social
- Befriend other writers. Online forums, writing classes and local critique groups are good starting places.
- Share your writing, whether it is by sending it to a friend, posting on your blog, or self-publishing.
- Go to a writing conference to learn more about the craft and connect with other writers
- Don’t believe in the “loner writer” myth. Most writers have a network of creative people who inspire, encourage, and support them.
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Celebrate Progress
Many writers don’t celebrate when they succeed because they get too eager to pursue their next goal.
To cement writing as a habit in your life, reward yourself each time you do it, celebrating the fact you are making progress, the fact that you are creating, celebrate that you are writing.
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Starting To Write
Writing can be a lonely, thankless job, filled with rejection. But it can also be very rewarding when your text resonates with people.
Ask yourself why you want to write and what do you wa...
Choosing a Time And Place To Write
- Results come when you work at your craft consistently every day.
- It’s good to write first thing in the morning, as you are more creative upon waking.
- If you have a job, your writing should take place outside your work time.
- Choose a “writing spot” and keep it consistent.
Set Small Goals
Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to follow advanced techniques early on. There is endless advice on writing, but in the beginning, all that matters is getting words onto the page every day.
Set small, easy to accomplish goals and build upon it. Focus not on the end result, but on the process.
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Common Obstacles To Writing
- You’re busy: separate 5-15 minutes to write, first thing in the morning, and stick to it.
- You’re intimidated: The important thing is to start.
- You’re not ...
Commit To Writing Every Day This Month
Make a public commitment, to people who will hold you accountable. You don’t need to publish your writing each day, but just write at least 5 minutes a day.
It can be any type of writing and it doesn’t have to be good, so let go of your desire for perfection.
Set Aside 5-10 Minutes
Setting your writing time during the morning is ideal as you haven’t gotten busy yet. But find what works for you and treat this appointment as unmissable.
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Make The Readers Feel Something
Honesty is the most important ingredient. You don’t have to be or have gone through something to write about it but you must have a heartfelt feeling about it so you can expose that emotion thro...
Structure And Revise
You need to have a beginning that builds to a middle and an ending, or at least an idea of where you’re going, as it is key to explore your themes and foreshadow things properly.
Another important thing is to revise your writings. Your first draft is likely to contain multiple errors, poorly phrased sections, and inconsistencies.
Surprise The Reader
To do it, you must know what your audience expects from the type of writing you’re doing and then defy it.
Without the surprise, without the twist, if you don’t pull the wool over the audience’s eyes, then it’s unlikely you’re going to be memorable. It’s precisely the fact that things are not what they seem that makes a story interesting.