I have habits, some good some bad, which structure my life and determine how I spend my day. For example, every morning before I get out of bed I pray. As soon as I get up, I straighten the covers and pillows so the bed will be ready and welcoming when I need it again. Next I turn on the coffee, feed the cats, and sit down to read my favorite blogs. From that point on, I’m usually at the mercy of whatever life throws my way.
One activity I want to add to my list of habits is writing. Oh, I write every day—lists and letters and reminders—but that’s not the kind of writing that will achieve my dreams. Like millions of others, I aspire to complete a novel. A good novel. To do that, I need to improve my writing habits. There are many changes I could make that would probably help me be more productive, but my research suggests that there are certain habits that are essential for someone who hopes to make writing a profession. I read many suggestions, but the following 4 seem the most crucial to me.
1. Read everyday
Read a wide variety of books, not only for pleasure but also to analyze what works and what doesn’t. Immersing yourself in the written word will add to your knowledge, increase your vocabulary, and improve your understanding of how language is used.
2. Learn new things
You’ve probably heard the advice to “write what you know.” The wider the range of your experiences, the more realistic you can make your writing. Often it’s the little details that you include that help readers visualize a scene. Enrich your life and acquire a goldmine of information to use in your stories by stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things.
3. Make writing a priority
Productive writers work a regular writing routine into their lives. The amount of time devoted to it varies widely, but there needs to be a commitment to writing. Continually placing writing at the bottom of your priority list makes it difficult (or impossible) to achieve success as a writer.
4. Finish what you start
It’s common to work on more than one project at a time. A problem arises, though, when writers skip from one manuscript to another without ever finishing what they start. Or when they try to attain perfection, or avoid failure, by working on one project for years…and years…and years, and never submit it. At some point you have to say it’s as good as it’s going to get, and send it out.
Are you satisfied with your writing habits? What helps you be productive, and what interferes with your productivity? Do you make an effort to learn new things in order to add spice and authenticity to your writing?
The Writing Place 
I think all your points are very true, Carol. Unfortunately I see myself in some of the bad habits you’ve pointed out. I really do need to get submitting.
One thing I’ve done recently was join an in-the-flesh writer’s group. So far we’ve only had one meeting, but I’m hoping it will keep me focused. At our first meeting each set a personal goal. I decided I will submit two stories before the next meeting. Wish me luck.
~jon
Jon, joining a writer’s group is a great idea. Having people to be accountable to regarding your goals, and to share ideas with, should be a great motivator. I wish there was a group near me. 😦
Good luck with your submissions!
I have a group of people that I write with for an hour every morning before work. It’s done wonders for my production levels. We also made a pact for this year, setting a number of new short stories that we would each complete and begin submitting this year.
Carol: start one! My first writing crowd was a handful of people from NaNoWriMo who all wanted to keep writing year round, and we started meeting biweekly. If you build it, they will come. 😉
Nico, do you meet with the members of your group every morning in person, or online? Either way, it shows a lot of dedication. Good luck meeting your goals.
As for me starting a writing group, I would love to except I have no idea how to go about it, and I don’t know anyone who would be willing to join. Perhaps you’re right and “they will come.” In the meantime I think I will try to find an existing group online that writes in a similar genre.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experience!
Thanks. My groups are all in person. There’s four of us who work within a few blocks of each other and all start work at about the same time, so we meet in a coffee shop to write for an hour. Sometimes we chat about writing stuff too. I will also sometimes get text messages wondering why I am late, so lots of accountability, plus the new pact.
One of them will frequently post on facebook in the evening challenging people to a word sprint to get his count up for the day and tag a bunch of writers he knows. There are definitely ways to work online as well.
My morning group started as two writers working near each other deciding to meet every morning. Then when I met one of them through a writing workshop and we were talking about writing routines, he invited me to join since I worked in the same neighbourhood. The other group started because someone at a NaNoWriMo said “Let’s do this year round” and there was a handful of people interested. Now we meet once a week and write for a few hours.
NaNoWriMo is a great way to connect with a bunch of writers in your area through write-ins and the forums.
Good luck meeting and connecting with writers in your area. I’m sure you will find them hiding in the woodwork.
Nico, your morning group sounds very supportive and fun. And having a second group to meet with weekly is awesome.
It’s hard for me to imagine being close enough to other writers to meet in a coffee shop every morning. I live out in the country, 12 miles from town–and it’s a small one. Perhaps there are some writers there, but if so I haven’t met them. There used to be a writing group that met in a Barnes and Noble about 45 miles away, but the store closed up and I don’t know what happened to the group. Maybe I’ll check into NaNoWriMo next fall and see if anyone in NW Indiana is interested in getting together. Thanks for the suggestion!
If your public library is not too far away you might try contacting them to see if they know of any writing groups or if they would be willing to help start one. My writing group had its seeds online, but it really didn’t go anywhere. Fortunately one of the members runs the library, so he revived it this year as a in-the-flesh group, and I think it has much more potential. Not to say an online group doesn’t work, but it is hard to beat face to face.
~jon
Jon, there is a library about 15 miles away that occasionally has a poetry group meeting. They put together an anthology of poems, but as far as I know they aren’t interested in writing fiction–and I am a terrible poet. I’d love to meet face to face with other writers but I seriously doubt poets would consider me a welcome addition to their group. 😦
I knew you were out in the country, just not how convenient (or not) a library was. Another option is continuing education creative writing at a community college, if there happens to be one near you.
~jon
I love to write . Mostly I write poetry, everyday I try to approach a different subject every time I write ( though most of them end up in love) , Colors to Life , Void to Infinite. It is one of my meditations, its where I unveil a little bit of myself every singe day ‘ and its amazing to find something new about me everytime I write, even more to look back at old writings and laugh about how silly the situation was and that I was too blind to see what the moment was trying to reveal .
I really liked your blog, keep up with the great work and kindness to share a little of your point of view with us. I am certain that I will learn a lot by reading your thoughts and tips.
Once again, thank you .
Jack, I’m glad you like my blog and I apologize that it took me so long to respond to your kind comment. Personal matters have kept me from keeping up with the blog, but I hope to do better from now on.
I also learn something new about myself when writing. And I have laughed at many of the things I thought were profound when I originally wrote them. Life is a process, and as long as we keep learning, we keep growing.
Best wishes on your writing journey.
Carol