Writing routine secrets - What does it take to follow a plan?

So you love writing?

Now every person in the business of creativity wants to improve their skills and stay steady on their craft so they can grow and become better at their work. Writers are one of them. But there can be days when you don't feel like writing or not in the mood or cant finish what you started and might want to tear your hair at the end of the day. Chill that’s okay. And guess what, there is a simply remedy to keep you going and bring the best out of you as a writer. It’s a daily routine.

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As much as we’ve heard our parents yelling at us for having a daily routine since ever, only a few understand its importance and role in our daily lives. A routine is nothing but a set of habits that you imbibe in your everyday life. Like you have the basic morning routine, you wake up, take a dump, take a shower, have a coffee, there can be other activities that you can act upon in your day to day life that will help you grow personally and professionally, especially if you are a creative artist.

And there’s a long list of the benefits that you can draw form a routine if you're a writer or are aspiring to be one. Let’s talk about the basics.

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The little things that you decide to do everyday in your routine eventually become your habits.

You don't have to make conscious decisions to act upon them because they'll be as regular and as brushing your teeth or wearing your clothes. Meanwhile, it will save your time to think what to do about your day and in turn will increase your efficiency. So, if you make writing as a habit, and I’m not saying like writing 10 pages a day, you can start from a page a day, it is eventually going to boost your confidence and increase your efficiency.

There’s a long list of the benefits that you can draw form a routine if you're a writer or are aspiring to be one.

Your life will be organized.

Let’s be honest, if you're writing, your life is a mess. There are tons of ideas and imaginative things popping out of your head. If you are working, you have deadlines and at the same time you want to do something productive for yourself. So, why not have a routine which will give your day a structure. Maybe you can get up early, finish up with all your writing and then spend 2 to 3 hours to read at night.

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You will build momentum.

There’s a saying that goes, ‘little by little, a little becomes a lot’. And it applies to almost everything in life. Don’t think about the benefits of reading 10 pages everyday, at the end of the year, you will have read 3650 pages which is close to 15 books.

So write everyday, not just on the weekends or when inspiration strikes, if you want to be a writer. Reading and writing as a part of your routine will free you from making sundry decisions and you can effortlessly indulge in your creative work. As Jodi Picoult says, “You can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page.”

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