6 Ways to Build Effective Writing Habits

In this episode, I discuss 6 ways to build effective and sustainable writing habits.

1. Write every day

The newer the writer, the more important this is. Your writing muscle won't be as strong when you first start out so even taking one day off can be detrimental to the process.

2. Treat writing like a 9-5 job

When you sit down to write, sit down with the expectation that you are going to work. Having a clear routine and expectation for what you want to accomplish just like the feeling of Monday morning email checks and meeting invites will get you in the mental state to be a productive writer.

3. Prepare yourself before writing

Think about what you want to accomplish for the day whether it be a word count goal or character development on the car ride home or in the shower. When you go in with a solid mental plan, you will write faster and clearer.

4. Get control over daily, routine tasks

Everyone has laundry and yard work. This shouldn't prevent you from achieving your writing goals. Create a system to bucket activities like grocery shopping and meal prep. When you have a routine in place for everyday activities, you will have the freedom to be a more productive writer.

5. Believe in yourself

Self-sabotage is the quickest way to sink an effective habit. Turn inward to create mental discipline. Stop comparing yourself to others. When you have faith in your work, you will be a more productive writer.

6. Set goals for yourself

In an industry as subjective as writing, it is incredibly important to set an external metric for yourself to measure your progress. Set word count or chapter count goals. This will move your novel forward and help you see the progress you've made.

I created the Turn Write Podcast for beginning writers, for indie authors, for people who are looking for their voice and who want to know how to use it. The idea for this bite-sized podcast came to me as I sat in endless traffic commuting an hour each way to and from my 9-5 job, wondering why do I write? Why do I rush home every day with the agonizing hope of trying to string together meaningless words to create a feeling deeper than I could dare hope to describe? Well, day after day I kept thinking and there was only one answer: I loved to write. I am on a journey to becoming a published author, and I want to help you get there too.

Read my novel The Sweep: https://www.amazon.com/Sweep-Kaitlin-Greco/dp/1702161706/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=the+sweep+kaitlin+greco&qid=1577982814&sr=8-1#mediaMatrix_secondary_view_div_1579103732446

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