10 useful habits to implement as a writer
Have you ever thought about starting a career in writing? Thanks to technology and the growing demand for content, the path to becoming a writer and having your own byline is now easier. Despite this, being a writer requires a lot more than just a desire: you have to dedicate a lot of time, nerves, discipline, and hard work to be good enough, and it may also require creating an optimal internal and external environment.
Here are some habits writers should practice if they haven’t already. If you are an aspiring writer, you can slowly develop them as you move towards your dream of becoming a writer.
1. Write every day
While the oft-cited 10,000-hour rule for skill mastery has been disproved, writing daily can still improve your mastery. You will notice it becoming easier with every day you dedicate to it systematically.
Studies show that writing can improve health, mood, and productivity. It is also an excellent mental exercise. It helps maintain and expand your vocabulary, improves your thought process and clarity, enhances creativity, and keeps your mind sharp.
As you write every day, slowly switch from writing on a device to writing by hand. Writing by hand occupies your mind more and boosts productivity.
2. Set your writing goals
Having writing goals helps you focus on working towards a specific outcome. Even if it is small, it still matters a lot for your improvement. There is no need to write long pieces like those you see in any essay writing service, a habit of writing 250-500 words a day is enough to keep your gears turning.
You can use goal-tracking apps to list specific goals. Tracking and recording your personal daily quests makes it easier to track your progress. Crossing goals off the list can increase your motivation and push you to achieve more.
3. Maintain a healthy routine
Human beings are creatures of habit. We thrive on predictability and consistency. If you want to make sure a habit sticks, add it to a routine and practice until it becomes natural.
By injecting practical habits into your routine, you can make the most of this human trait. Why not develop your writing skills through this? Still, try to do it reasonably and avoid neglecting even more important habits like physical exercise and staying hydrated.
Dehydration decreases your concentration, makes you cranky, and reduces your energy. To avoid it, install an app on your phone to monitor your fluid intake and remind you to drink water.
4. Create an ideal writing environment
Converting complex thoughts into language expressed on paper or screen requires complex thinking. Writers often perform better in distraction-free environments. You can use application extensions to avoid distractions if you write from your laptop.
Your location can also affect your writing and overall productivity. Studies show that a person can be more likely to procrastinate and feel stressed and anxious if the environment around them is filled with a clatter.
Create or find a writing space where you would be most productive. Many remote workers tend to use their own bedroom as an office. However, doing this may cause your brain to associate your bedroom with productivity and disrupt sleep and general routines.
5. Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is essential for overall health and well-being. It can help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of neural disfunction and improve focus, productivity and mood.
Studies also show that sleep quality can be highly affected by the firmness of the mattress you use and the temperature in your room.
6. Try teaching someone else
Many people say that the best way to consolidate a skill is to teach it. Related researches show that you keep 90% of the information and skills you learned if you explain them to others.
It can also bring you additional income. If you plan to develop your brand and become a content creator, why not launch an online course? You can also find platforms where you can become a mentor to someone else and get mutual benefit from this process.
7. Edit on the go
Whether you work alone or as a part of a larger editorial team, it’s always good to proofread and edit your work before submitting it for publication.
Most of the time, it’s best to take a step back after writing your work and review it when you have fresh eyes to catch minor errors in the draft.
You can also use technology to help you. For example, you can use Grammarly – a free online writing assistant that can help you catch grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other mistakes. After proofreading, double-check your proof by running it through specialized checker tools to make sure they are finished and ready to publish.
8. Read more
Reading and writing go hand in hand. When you are reading regularly, you maintain and improve your vocabulary and grammar, learn about different writing structures and patterns, adopt new writing styles and inspire yourself.
If you enjoy reading e-books, the Internet has some good places to download them for free and sites that can help you find the next book to read. You can also “preview” books by reading summaries around the web.
9. Maintain healthy eyesight
Eyestrain is very common among writers. If you have eye pain, blurred vision, headaches, and shoulder and neck pain, you may be showing signs of it.
Be sure to rest enough and adopt strategies that can help prevent this problem. To allow your eyes to rest between jobs, follow the 20/20/20 rule. Stop your work every 20 minutes and find a target 20 feet away to look at for 20 seconds.
Also, if you are always in front of a screen typing the next draft, you can use features that can help reduce eyestrain if your device supports them.
10. Brainstorm
Writers have a bitter enemy: writer’s block. This is when you get stuck in one place and can’t move on. While dire life circumstances can cause writer’s block, doing things like going for a walk, exercising, or changing your environment can help you overcome it.
You can also use mind map applications to take notes more visually and track your thought process. You can also brainstorm ideas beforehand by yourself or ask your colleagues for help.
Writing is not for wimps. It requires dedication, practice, hard work, and endless patience like any skill. In addition, adopting lifestyle changes and habits into your daily routine can help you further improve your writing game.