Like every farmer will tell you: a ground must be fertile in order to enjoy the toil that sowing is.
Just like a farmer, a writer needs to ensure that his ground – or habits – are blessed with fertility so as for him or her to enjoy efficient writing sessions.
So, here are 5 habits every writer must have in order to write and write and write.
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- READING
Early morning reading, along with a sip of powerful, eye-widening coffee, is one of the most powerful things a writer can do before launching himself into a writing session.
The benefit of this habit, however, is not in order to copy from other writers.
But rather, reading helps to activate and stimulate the creative mind.
That’s right. There’s nothing better than observing other writers’ confident work and preparing to emulate that confidence, in one’s own authentic way.
Typically, reading works which are similar in genre to what the writer is currently writing helps to generate even more of a creative oomph than if reading an unrelated genre.
2. CLEAN WORKSTATION
‘A tidy desk makes for a tidy mind.’
I know. Cliché.
While it is true that this statement has been overly repeated, the statement is, alas, incredibly true.
Think about it in this way: ever found yourself in a messy room and, purely because of its mess, you said to yourself you would wallow idle in it, instead of deciding to be productive?
Similarly, an untidy workstation fuels creativity-defying habits that you certainly do not want to develop if high productivity is what you wish for.
3. BREAKS
Brains, because of their obvious enormous activity, are fast-overheating engines that need rest from hyperactive moments of thinking.
Breaks, therefore, are a fantastic way to reinvigorate the creative function of the brain and to keep a high-quality efficiency.
Thirty minutes, one hour, two hours; however long, one must make sure to rest.
4. FRESH AIR
Self-explanatory.
I agree.
But what is the difference between the earlier point of taking a break and going out for fresh air?
No difference.
In essence, going out for fresh air is taking a break.
However, the earlier point of breaks was meant more in relation to closing the software tool used by the writer and relaxing, for however long, without the writer leaving the space in which the writing area is also located.
Differently, thus, ‘fresh air’ is exactly just that: going for a stroll in the open, and breathing the freshness of the day into your words-clogged membranes.
The benefit of this is that not only it allows your brain to detach from the text, therefore allowing the brain to develop new writing perspective.
But also, going back into the scheduled writing sessions, writers will feel like new people all together.
5. RISE EARLY, QUIT EARLY
Time is a precious luxury.
But the know-how of how to manage it is even more precious.
How, with regards to writing, is time best managed?
To answer this, one must first ask themselves whether they are an early riser or a night owl.
Answering this question as honestly as possible will both help writers to know their creativity apexes, while also help them in better scheduling time to write and produce their best piece of work.
Equally as critical, it is a writer’s awareness about knowing when to quit.
Yes, this is particularly difficult to do, especially when the writing flow is going flawlessly.
But, quitting at the right moment, can determine your ability to write just as flawlessly in the next writing session.
So be strategic with planning your sessions.
Achike Morgan
© Copyrights 2023 Achike Morgan.