It's a mystery why we so often resist doing the very things that we most want to be doing whether it's exercise, writing or some other project we long to tackle. Once we get started, we usually are glad we did and have little trouble continuing, but how can we make sure we write consistently in the first place? Here are some ways to make sure you keep your promise to write:
A number of approaches can be helpful in making writing a habit. Not all of them will work for everyone, but from the tips below you are sure to find one or two motivating.
- Give yourself a time limit - Sometimes writing may loom as a big scary undefined task, but you can do almost anything for ten or fifteen minutes. Set a timer and sit down to write for a short period. When that period is up, you will often find that you want to keep going, but even if you don't, you will have accomplished more than if you did not sit down at all.
- Work in bursts - The above suggestion can also be useful if you feel that you rarely get a good chunk of time during the day to sit down and do a substantial amount of work. See how much writing you can do while waiting on appointments, during lunch breaks or even while waiting for the microwave to heat up a meal. You'll be surprised at how many small opportunities you have during the day that add up.
- Set a small goal - Many writers find that setting a very manageable goal of around 200 words per day is motivating. The word count is low enough to be fairly easily achievable and result in a sense of accomplishment. It's still more than if you didn't write at all however, and over a year, adds up to the word count of a completed novel.
- Have a writing buddy - Many people often find they are more likely to stick to an exercise plan when they have an exercise partner, and the same can be true for writing. You can find a writing buddy online or offline, but the important thing is that you encourage one another to write several times per week. Setting challenges or fun competitions against one another can keep things fun.
What are some methods you have used to stick to your determination to write regularly?
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