Why Your Writing Habit Is Important
It's not about word count, a time frame, or doing it everyday.
Writing hustlers have you fooled.
They say you need to have a word count and a set amount of time to write and publish every day to develop a writing habit. But that is a lie.
You don’t need to write 500 words daily as a writing habit.
You don’t need to write for an hour daily to have a writing habit.
You don’t need to publish your writing daily to have a writing habit.
All you really need to do is write consistently.
A writing habit is about consistently writing. It is simply about writing regularly and growing from it.
Yes, it helps to have a target word count. But try something like 200–300 words.
Yes, it helps to say when and where you will write, but it doesn’t have to be for an hour.
Yes, you do need to publish. It's a skill to learn to practice in public, and it helps people relate to you and grow with you.
But it can be whatever is realistic for you.
How it started for me…
I committed to writing every morning at 5 am in my living room when I first started writing. I didn’t publish every day. I didn’t have a word count.
I decided that I would write everyday in once place at a set time.
At first, it was hard. I was used to reading, watching TV on my phone in the morning, or doing my own thing.
Early on, there were times when I would stretch days together, and there were times when every other day was a struggle.
That’s how it was for me in 2017.
How it’s going now…
I write every day. Sometimes, it’s 250 words, and sometimes, it’s 1,500 words. But I make it a point to write every day.
My writing place is now my kitchen island. My writing time is 6 a.m., but I still go for it every day.
Yes, I publish every day. But that is a practice I started a while back, and it has helped me put in the reps to get better and faster as a writer.
It has also helped me to write and publish 11 books and a handful of digital products, and I love writing.
If you are starting, here is my advice.
When I talk to people starting, I tell them the same thing:
Commit to a time, a place, and to do it everyday.
In that commitment and then putting in the work, you create a writing habit.
Not only that, but you are also putting in the repetitions to get better and faster as a writer. You are using your writing muscles and getting better daily.
And, after a time, you will find your voice, tribe, and brand.
But…
In the beginning, you need to put in the reps.
J.R. Heimbigner is a #1 Bestselling Author on Amazon who writes about faith and writing books. He has self-published 11 books and has some great resources. Check his book on using Substack to write books:
P.S. There may be sales or affiliate links in this post. So, I might get a little kick back if you purchase anything. Thank you in advance!
Yes it does…thanks. I’m one of those people who writes easily in a private journal when things are going bad but gets writers block and goes days without writing when things are steady/ good. So just needing inspiration I guess.
I hear this kind of advice a lot but haven’t come across anyone who explains what to write about when your aim is consistency. I’ve tried ‘just letting it come to me’ and it often doesn’t. Do prompts gets you going? I’d love to know what exactly you write or how you get it to flow.