Build a writing routine

 A writing routine is essential for every writer, whether you are a beginner or as experienced as Val McDermid.

A writing routine is what will keep you coming back to your desk, getting your words down and finishing your first draft.

A writing routine is what will keep you sane!

Why a writing routine is so important

A writing routine is important because it keeps you motivated. It is what allows you to slip into your novel almost without thinking about it. It is a way of training your brain to move from the everyday world into your writing world.

It is the routine that builds your writing muscle. And the stronger your writing muscle gets, the easier it becomes to write.

Have you noticed that if you write sporadically, every now and again, as and when you feel like it, it’s hard to get into your groove?

It’s almost like starting again every time. You need to remind yourself of what you wrote last time, perhaps even what the entire story is about, and by the time you’ve done that your writing session is over and you’ve got to move onto the next part of your day.

Added pressure

When you build a writing routine into your life you take away a lot of the pressure. You are proactively taking control of your time and allocating a precious 20 or 30 minutes to something you enjoy.

Proactively setting aside writing time takes away the pressure and the worry of thinking ‘Oh my goodness, do I have time for this?’

You get towards the end of the week, you’ve still not written anything. Now you feel bad about yourself and wonder what the point is in even trying. You berate yourself, tell yourself you’re useless, you never commit to, or finish, anything. This is the self-criticism you go through every time you fail to show up for yourself.

But when you proactively set that time aside, you can stop worrying about it. You have scheduled it in; you know when it’s happening. And because you know when it’s happening, you keep your story, if not top of mind, closer to the top than it would otherwise have been. In quiet moments you think about it, either the plotline or your character or a sentence you might be struggling with.

When you set the time aside and then show up to write regularly, the job of writing becomes much easier. It’s like Pavlov’s dogs. You train your brain, your writing muscle, to kick into gear as soon as you sit down at your desk.

Your writing desk

This is wherever you want it to be. Not necessarily an actual desk!

For example, I used to write at home but found it hard. There were too many distractions. My home is the place where I cook, watch tv, where I read for pleasure and spend time with my family. It is not the place I associate with writing.

Because of that, I could never get into the swing of things, I could never get into the right zone and so writing became difficult and a chore and I stopped enjoying it. Something needed to change.

Instead, I now drop my children off at school then head to a local café. I order the biggest coffee they’ve got and take a seat at the back of the shop. If possible, I try to sit in the same place but sometimes another customer has the temerity to take my place!

First of all, the coffee shop is part of my daily routine. My kids go to school every day, therefore I go to the café every day.

Secondly, it stops me getting lonely. I can switch off from the conversations and noises around me, but can enjoy having them as the backdrop to my writing. It stops me feeling so isolated and even though I’m not speaking to anybody else, having that human contact really makes a difference to my day and my mood.

The third benefit is that my brain is now trained to write in that space. As soon as I sit down with my coffee and open up my notepad, I am ready to go. There is nothing else for me to do – no dishes to wash, no laundry to fold or filing to do – it’s just me, my notebook, and my imagination.

Get Into The Groove

Do you find it hard to get into the groove of writing? If you do, consider changing up up where you write.

Can you go to your local café? Can you go to the library? What about sitting in the park if it’s a nice day? I know some writers who write in their car on their lunch break.

Find somewhere that suits you. The author JF Penn also sits in a café. But unlike me she cannot drown out the background noises and instead uses noise cancelling headphones and listens to tropical thunderstorms. This way she too feels the benefits of being in company, of being in a space that she acknowledges as her workspace, but without the distractions of other people’s conversations.

Your body clock

Think about your body clock and when in the day you feel most energised. From me this is early in the morning, between 8 AM and 11:30 AM. I think this is common for many people. However, your body clock may be different and you are more night owl. This may be your natural body clock, or because of your work patterns.

It doesn’t matter really when you’re at your most energetic, just know when it is because you will want to time your writing sessions with when you’re feeling at your most creative.

If I, for whatever reason, don’t get to my café in the mornings I have to be honest, no writing gets done that day. By the time the afternoon arrives, all my magical creativity has evaporated for the day and I’ve missed my opportunity.

You want to do your best to schedule your times from when you are your most awake.

I listened to the Writer’s Routine podcast recently, and in it they interviewed the author Rory Clements. His writing routine does not start until midnight. That is when he is at his most creative and he’ll carry on until 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning.

It is worth pointing out that he is now retired and has the time freedom to do this. So his day takes on a completely different rhythm to mine, for example. I get up, usually at 5:45 AM, and head to bed about 8:30 PM. His routine would slay me!

Everybody’s body clock and daily routine of different. Take a little time to consider what will work best for you and scheduling your time is accordingly.

Once you’ve found a writing routine that works for you, you’ll be amazed at how much easier the words will flow because you are in your optimum place. It doesn’t mean that every word will make the final edit, but you’ll be primed and ready to get that first draft written.

If this article was useful, you’ll love: 

• https://emmadhesi.com/blog-post/writing-routine/
• https://emmadhesi.com/blog-post/showdonttell/
• https://emmadhesi.com/blog-post/writing-course/

Emma Dhesi writes women’s fiction. She began writing seriously while a stay at home mum with 3 pre-school children.

By changing her mindset, being consistent and developing confidence, Emma has gone from having a collection of handwritten notes to a fully written, edited and published novel.

Having experienced first-hand how writing changes lives, Emma now helps beginner writers find the time and confidence to write their first novel.