A writing routine that works… for you

‘In your life there are a few places, or maybe only the one place, where something happened, and then there are all the other places.’

– Alice Munro

As an author and Melbourne copywriter, a writing routine keeps me, bum on seat and motivated...

So, you’ve come up with a ripper idea and now all you have to do is turn it into brilliant copy or an intriguing story. Easy, right?

Daunting, probably, exciting, hopefully, but easy... not often. And that’s okay, because it’s the hard yards that teach us to be better writers.

Great, but how do we wrangle those messy ideas in our heads into a solid piece of writing?

Developing a writing routine is a great first step. Like all things, writing improves with practice, and a routine will make getting words on the page more habitual.

Writing routines vary from writer to writer. Some wordsmiths get up at the crack of dawn while others scribble deep into the night. Some demand silence, while others bang out few hundred words on the train commute to work.  

Japanese novelist, Haruki Murakami, who is famous for his 4am starts and strict exercise regime, likens penning a novel to running a marathon, implying it requires stamina and training.

And he’s right. But, a writing routine designed to fit into your life, whatever shape that takes, will make the task easier — ensuring the process is more automatic than manual.

To develop a routine, you need to prioritise writing. Just because it isn’t a full, part, or even paid gig, it doesn’t make the act any less important.

Think about why you write, but also, when and how writing might fit into your life. Where can you find time? What are you willing to sacrifice? Where can you ask for help, to make more time available?

Study your average day and week and ask:

·       What are the challenges I face when trying to make time to write?

·       What could I give up or shift around to make space for it?

·       What actions do I need to take to make writing possible? Do I need to get up earlier or have a Netflix-free night?

Your writing routine will change as your life evolves. When my kids were tiny, I wrote in short, sharp bursts, between sleeps and feeding. Now, I write in noisy cafes or in the early morning before my family gets up for school and work.

Don’t wait for inspiration to strike, because chances are, it won’t — or at least not very often. Instead, be practical. Plan, set yourself manageable writing goals and stick to your own deadlines.

Your writing process will become clearer as you work. And remember, some days the work flows, others, it doesn’t — don’t beat yourself up if it all feels too hard.

Finally, in the sage words of author, Stephen King, (who’s a prolific writer), ‘Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.’

If you’d like to help with your creative or business writing, drop me a line or check out my SERVICES page. As a published author and Melbourne copywriter, I can help you with anything from SEO website copywriting to marketing support to creative mentoring.

Copywriter Melbourne at your disposal — Contact me.