Establish a Personal Writing Practice

Anyone who has ever gone on a diet, signed up for a gym membership without previous workout experience, or purchased a self-paced online course guaranteed to change one’s life knows how difficult it is to make a significant change in one’s life.

When we make changes, we rile up all of the demons who control our entrenched habits and behavioral norms.  Sure, I have followed a diet for a day or two, or maybe even a week, but like most everyone, my dieting experience has been spotty at best.  I fall into my old habits and therein the problem lies.

Writing, making art, or starting a creative venture is no different. 

When we choose to write, we choose to change ourselves for ourselves.  We decide to make ourselves a little bit better each day, we face the dark sides of our creative minds, and we take steps towards the true people we believe ourselves capable of becoming. 

And that is hard work. 

So, if it is difficult to change our habits and potentially invigorating but also challenging to start a writing practice, how does a person establish a personal writing practice? 

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Time 
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If you want to see the words on the page go from zero per day to hundreds per day, you have to put in the time.  Yes, that is stating the obvious, but the old adage that Writers Write is true.  A writer needs to set aside time that is dedicated solely to writing. 

OK, so that is clear, but how does one do that?  We are all overworked, exhausted, and stretched to our limits, but when we write, we relieve stress, we create, and we rejuvenate the maker inside of us who wants to play with words.  Time spent writing is not the same as time spent cleaning the bathroom or dragging the recycling to the curb.  Time spent writing is time spent peeling away the layers of smog, grime, and dust that life throws at us. 

To establish a successful personal writing practice, set aside time to write. 

This time might be divided by creative output or it may be divided by minutes.  For example, one writer may set aside enough time each day to write one paragraph, and once the paragraph is on the page that writer can choose to continue writing or move onto another activity.  Either way, a new paragraph is on the page that did not exist before.  Goal accomplished.

The other method is to set aside a period of time.  Many people find that setting aside 30 minutes either at the beginning of the day or the end of the day gets the writing done.  If you choose the morning, then wake up a half hour early to write.  The reason is that your morning routine is already established, so to make that early morning writing time productive, it needs to fit within the established norms of your morning.  If you try to force a 30 minute activity into your already-busy morning, it has no room to fit. 

Writing in the evening seems to work out well for almost everyone.  Writers do not necessarily need to stay up later in the evening to write, though you may need to forego watching TV or playing on the computer. 

Regardless if you choose to write a certain length of content or a certain amount of time, set aside time to write.  
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Do you need support getting your writing practice established?  This video includes easy-to-follow steps to go from a blank page to a completed story.  

https://youtu.be/3R9Nl9_Wkes

​Accountability 
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Accountability is absolutely vital to establishing a personal writing practice.  Without accountability, will sheer willpower keep you composing each day?  Unlikely. 
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If you ever tried to kick a bad habit—drinking too much caffeine or smoking cigarettes, for example—then you know how challenging it is to do something for yourself without accountability.  Many people say that they were unable to kick a bad habit or take on a good habit for themselves.  It was only when they had some form of accountability integrated into their plans that they became successful. 

So, if establishing a personal writing practice is about taking on a new, positive habit for oneself, how do we inspire motivation and success by adding accountability?  We can employ personal accountability or a partner accountability. 

Personal accountability might include taking steps like using a daily checklist to identify your daily writing goal and note when it has been completed.  Even in our technology-dependent age, I still make a hand-written to-do list each morning, number my tasks by which one I will complete first, and strikethrough when I complete each task.  The list makers and checklist enthusiasts of the world can apply those skills to accomplish their writing tasks.

Most everyone uses some kind of day-timer or calendar to keep track of events.  I have three Google calendars (one for work, one for family, and one for writing), and all three post notifications on my phone.  If it is not listed on my calendar, then it is unlikely to be completed on time.  The pop up reminders are helpful because if I am running behind schedule in my day, then I am reminded what I still need to accomplish.

After you establish personal accountability measures like a checklist, calendar, and reminders, consider creating a partner accountability system.  I have three writing partners—one I write with about three hours a week, one at an hour a week, and one we communicate about our writing progress via email. 

A writing partnership does not have to be formal, in-person, or highly structured.  A writing partnership can allow for partner accountability as two people communicate to keep each other on track with their writing.  That partnership might be a daily or weekly email where they communicate about their writing goals.  It could be a regular meeting time, in-person, via phone, or online.  

Community 
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Writing is both a personal and a community activity.  People write while alone, but need to stay connected with the world around them to stay observant and hone their skills.  Connecting with a writing community can be a positive step towards establishing a personal writing practice that works. 

Over the years, I have joined several different writing communities, and each one operates in its own way.  One group of writers met weekly at a coffee shop and wrote in silence around a long table.  In the meetings I attended, only one other writer spoke to me at all. 

In other groups, we have engaged in active workshops and critiques of each writers’ pieces with a focus on helping each writer improve.  In another group, we spent some time writing quietly and time asking each other questions and soliciting advice about a particular section.  And in another, we rotate the facilitation duty and each bring in different activities to stimulate creativity. 

Every group has its own pace, tone, and purpose.  Writing with other writers increases one’s level of accountability, because once you attend a meeting, people get the idea that you will show up again.  Attending writing meetings does not work arriving emptyhanded.  Writers expect you to write, to make an effort, and to take steps forward.  They can be the kindest people and most supportive when it comes to gently pushing another writer towards a set goal. 

If this is your year, if you have a new writing goal in mind, and if you are ready to start writing, then start.  And when you fail to meet your goal, brush off the dust and take another step towards the goal.  
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How do you establish a personal writing practice? 
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Decide to write.

Set aside time to write.

Set a writing goal.

Set a writing schedule.

Use a checklist, calendar, or reminders.

Hold yourself accountable.

Join a community.  

Accept occasional setbacks and keep writing.
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