January 2021 – Unblocked Writer

January 18 2021

6 Tips on How to Make Writing a Habit

Are you having trouble starting or finishing your book? Many writers struggle to write their first book. I was one of them. Tackling my novel frightened me more than I’d like to admit but I did it. Let’s go over 6 tips on how to make writing a habit.

Getting Out of Your Own Way

Prepare yourself to succeed and you will. When I set out to write my first novel, I had written many short stories, poems and various non-fiction pieces. At the start, I had two major weaknesses. First, forming the habit of daily writing sessions and second writing for at least four hours per session.

6 tips on how to make writing a habit

1. Specify A Time to Write

Alright, you have a full-time job and everything seems to crash down, never leaving you time to write. That’s why setting a specific time is so important. Maybe you need to write before your family wakes up or maybe after they’ve gone to bed. Either way, figure out a time where you can claim at least 90 minutes of uninterrupted writing. For me, I wrote every morning from 5am to 9am. Then, I started working on my paid projects. For more tips on getting started, read about how to get past the first chapter.

2. Create A Dedicated Writing Area

6 Tips on How to Make Writing a Habit- Create a Workspace This seems easy but for some, it’s not an easy thing to do. If you have children, or roommates, carving out a space might be difficult. Some of the best rules for writing are:

Turn off all electronics
Have only the tools you need (pen, paper, laptop without internet)
Comfortable chair and desk / table to write on
Music, if you need it to block out noise or distractions

The most important rule on this list is have only the tools you need. That’s the best way to give yourself a chance at laser focused writing.

3. Quit When You Feel Stuck

6 Tips on How to Make Writing a Habit- Take a break This one seems like a no brainer but it’s one of the most difficult things to do. Shut it down and walk away. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to make a breakthrough. Sometimes, when I struggle to figure out what my protagonist should do in response to a problem, I take a walk. One time, I went to the gym. On the way home, I heard a radio program that gave me a breakthrough. Always remember you can just walk away.

4. Get A Timing Tool

6 Tips on How to Make Writing a Habit: Timer Tool Use a timing tool to help make writing a habit. One of the best timing methods is Pomodoro. You can find a Pomodoro app to help you focus. These tools have a work period and a break period. I set mine to 90-30 blocks, which meant I wrote for ninety minutes and then took a thirty minute break. The breaks really help. During the breaks, my mind fills with ideas and solutions. Try working this way to increase your productivity.

5. Get A Habit Tracker

Once you set a time, carve out space and track your time. You may still want a habit tracker. It may motivate you to write daily. Using a habit tracker can boost your resolve and give you a way to challenge yourself.

6 Tips on How to Make Writing a Habit: Tracking

I used the Today app to track my progress. As you can see from my screenshot, I wrote 340 days in a row. During that year, I completed Private Matters, a Novel.

Keep a Journal

A journal is one of the best ways to track your progress. A steady account of your journey may help you to stay on task.

6 Tips on How to Make Writing a Habit: Journal

I ended up with 82,699 words in 340 days and I still write every day.

What’s Next…

Plan out your book. Then set your writing time. That’s it! If you decide to use one of the habit apps switch to airplane mode before you begin your session. Trust me, that ding is irritating and pesky too. You can do it. Perhaps you’ll complete your book faster than you ever expected.

January 5 2021

Why Write: What Motivates Writers

Aspiring Writer, On Writing

Why write? What motivates writers to put together all those words. Why not choose an easier more profitable profession? Every writer has been asked about their desire to write. Maybe someone has said, “What do you like about writing?” And if the question hasn’t been asked of you in some form, you’re likely not writing enough. But most of all, writers ask of themselves, “Why do I write?”

What Keeps Writers Writing

George Orwell in his essay, Why I Write, has given some thought to the question. He surmises the motivation behind a writer’s dedication to the written word comes down to four key factors.

1. Sheer egoism

Our desire to show our unique voice to the world and most of all have people like and remember us, as they sing our praises when we receive our rewards. According to Orwell, serious writers are self-centered but less interested in money than journalists. Ha, ha. This may have been true in 1946, but I’d say journalist are far more self-centered these days.

2. Aesthetic enthusiasm

This item refers to a writer’s love of words. The desire and effort to make things sound just right. The way a writer focuses on style, structure or diction all impact the written word. Writers care about how the written words sounds, how it looks on the page and so much more. It all matters.

3. Historical impulse

Refers to the “Desire to see things as they are, to find out true facts and store them up for the use of posterity.” I’m not in this group at all.

4. Political purpose

Orwell defines political as a means to alter people’s ideas of society. I’d add philosophical purpose to this item. Every writer has some kind of philosophy and whether conscious or not, it works its way into the words we write and the stories we tell.

I want to add a fifth reason to why writers write.

5. The love of great stories.

Maybe this is embedded in sheer egoism but I don’t think so because by that logic so are items two through four. I believe die-hard writers love telling great stories. Is it possible to tell a great story without the other four items? Probably not. In order to write compelling stories, we must pay attention to aesthetics, tune into the historical impulse and evaluate political and philosophical ideas. But even before all that is the desire to tell the story in the first place. Writing is addictive.

I do write for all of these reasons. I’d like to exempt myself from item one but that too would be sheer egoism.