Read

There’s a famous saying that, “You can not give love, if you do not have love.” Similarly, writers can not write what they do not have.

So where do writers get it from? From reading. Reading is by far the best way to fuel your mind for writing. Read everything. Read all kinds of books. Fiction or nonfiction books. Another saying goes, “Make hay while the sun shines”. Reading is the hay for writers.

“Oh, but the books are so many and some so big, where’s the time?“

Do not read a book to finish it. The goal is to read. Just do it. Get started.

There are other kinds of reads for the busy reader. Read a blog. There are 2 blogs that I read regularly. Bikozulu and Macsweeny. Both of them are hilarious. Do check them out and thank me later.

Write everywhere. On the bus, or waiting in line, when eating and even while jogging. Start carrying around a notebook and pen. Use note-taking apps to jot down ideas or short descriptions.

Be accountable

There’s so much going on in our lives, it is easy to let go of your dream to become a writer. Finding an accountability partner is one sure way of keeping on track.

Join communities, writing contests, book clubs, and writing clubs. You can even join Toastmasters. Toastmasters got me to start a blog as part of a pathways project. Yes, this blog post is part of that project. The project required me to write 8 blog posts in one month. Entering a writing contest or project will force you to adhere to specific deadlines, and that will push you to the finish.

Write in the morning

Establish a routine. Writing at the same time and in the same place will help you establish a routine. This will turn into a habit, and it will make writing easy.

Night owls will hate to hear this, but the morning is the best time to write. Putting off your writing for later sets you up for procrastination. Write early in the morning before you get distracted.

The pomodoro technique

The pomodoro technique uses a timer to break down work at intervals, traditionally 25 minutes, separated by short breaks. In those 25 minutes, you shut out all distractions and focus on the writing. Do not check email, messages and do not answer the phone. Practice self-control.

I use the pomodoro technique to get started. Usually, when the 25 minutes are up and the alarm goes off, I keep going. At that point, I am already lost in my writing and I do not want to stop. A beautiful problem to have if you ask me.

Just do it.

Maybe you have nothing to write about. Your mind is blank. Here is how to avoid this from ever happening to you again.

Write everywhere. On the bus, or waiting in line, when eating and even while jogging. Start carrying around a notebook and pen. Use note-taking apps to jot down ideas or short descriptions.

Start now. The hardest barrier is to start. Get a quiet place, start the timer and simply start. You have a lot stored in your mind through your personal experiences and the world can’t wait to read it.

Happy blogging.