ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

You Can Develop A Writing Habit

Updated on March 18, 2012

You Have To Start Somewhere

For some people writing comes easy, with just a blink of an eye. Yet for others it may take a bit more practice and reaching for those ever elusive ideas.  But one thing is for sure, writing everyday for a specific amount of time is going to be beneficial if you are serious about writing.

And to do that, you have to make writing a habit. Something you do like brushing your teeth, or shutting off the lights. Not all habits are bad, by choosing to write everyday, you are making writing a good habit. So,  lets get busy and start making writing a habit you will enjoy for a long time to come.

Make It A Habit...
Make It A Habit...

Are You Ready To Write?

 1. Write Something Every Single Day, No Matter How Small 

When you write everyday it is going to help structure a routine and set up a schedule. First off, choose a good time that is good for you to write every day,  and use that time for your writing, nothing else but your writing. That is going to be your individual time. Your time to create.

It is also a good idea to set some goals,  how long or how many words you want to write every day. If you pick 100 words, then you can gradually exceed that number as you go along. Now there are going to be days you do not want to write, but if you can, write a sentence or two. Even if it is just random sentences, write it down, you can make something out of it later. Remember, the point is to create that habit of writing. A few sentences are better than no sentences. Keep that in mind.

2. Set Realistic Goals For Yourself-Aiming For The Moon Is Not Realistic

These can be just about anything. Aim low, then gradually aim higher until you reach your ultimate goals. For example,  you could set a goal as to how much time you will spend writing every day, perhaps two hours in the morning with coffee. You may set a goal on  what kind of material you will choose to write about, or you may choose to write a certain number of words in a certain number of hours. Keep it simple and you will succeed.

You get to make up the rules. Just remember to be realistic. You do not want to set yourself up to fail, but at the same time, you want to challenge yourself just a little bit.

3. Never Forget Your Notebook-It Is What Keeps You Going

Always have that notebook with you. Or keep several around so you always have a place to keep your thoughts.  You never know when the greatest idea of all time will pop into your head. You may see something amazing and want to jot down all the exact details. You may run into a celebrity and get an exclusive interview.  Without that notebook you are out of luck, because 9 times out of 10 you aren't going to remember that stuff off the top of your head later on.

If you don't have that notebook, your great ideas have no where to go.  If you're on public transportation and have nothing better to do, but day dream, you have your notebook right there to jot those day dreams  down. All that people watching gives you a plethora of information.

The more detailed you are in recording your inspirations the more resource  you will have for the next piece you write about.  Remember, the intention for all this  is to develop a good writing habit.

4. Read, Read, And Keep Reading, And Then Read Some More

I read that  well known authors say, a writer is a reader. I have to say that is pretty much true. If we didn't read, we wouldn't have very many thought's in our heads now would we? Read everything you can, even things you are not so fond of. Learning is the greatest power we have. It is where our imaginations comes from.

Enlighten yourself,  broaden your horizons, expose yourself up to newspapers,  magazines,  journals,  and  blogs. Reading keeps you up-to-date on what is going on in the world and what happened in the past and even the predictions of the future, it feeds your thirst for fantasy,  fun, and the bizarre,  it builds your vocabulary, and your creativity.  And most of all gives you something to think about. And you just might find something really good to write about.

5. Join A Writing Workshop Or  Creative Writing Class

When you join a writer's workshop or take creative writing courses,  you are given  opportunities to improve you're writing, spelling and grammar skills.  You will meet other writers that share your interests,  who can critique your writing, and offer suggestions that may help you with your writing accomplishments. You may make a writing buddy or two along the way.

There are several  ways  to join writing workshops, or creative writing courses.  You can attend  in person, order one on DVD, or join a creative writing course online. And you will find many of them at little or no cost to you.

6. You Are A Writer, Don't you Think You Should Call Yourself One?

Start with calling yourself a writer if you write. How do you expect other people to call you a writer if you don't call yourself one. You don't have to be a rich and famous author to be called a writer. By calling yourself a writer, you are giving yourself the motivation you need to continue writing. So the next time someone asks you what you do, go ahead, tell them you are a writer.
 

working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)