The Benefits of Writing Every Day: How to Make Writing a Habit

Writing takes practice to develop, like any skill, which is why it requires consistent effort to see improvement. Busy schedules and writer’s block can make it difficult to make writing a priority. That’s why I will be talking about the benefits of writing every day as well as tips to develop this habit.

Let’s dive in and learn how to make a writing routine!

Pin for Later!

The Benefits of Writing Every Day

   1. Consistently Improve Your Writing Skills

Writing is a skill that improves with practice. The more you write, the better you write. Yes, there are other methods to improve, from reading to research, but there’s more to storytelling than stitching random words together. Taking the time to pursue your projects and dabble with different ideas is a surefire way to take your writing to the next level.

Also, if you like to see improvement, this consistency will help you see better results more often. If you’re looking for that confidence boost in your writing, then developing this habit is just the thing you need!

   2. Better Time Management

As with all habits, it requires the writer to look at their average routine and make time for their projects. Time management is a skill everyone can take advantage of, as quite often we take longer to complete tasks, cutting into time that can be better spent on our hobbies and other aspects of life we enjoy.

Certainly, making a habit to write every day will require this skill. Learning to prioritize what is important over what isn’t will certainly give one a new appreciation for the people and passions one surrounds themselves with. If you want to make time for writing, especially if it’s writing every day, you need to develop a better, more efficient daily routine.

   3. Reduce Your Stress

Writing is an excellent way to reduce stress. Many people write to clear their heads of messy thoughts or to escape into a world of their own imagination. However, those that write simply for the pleasure of writing also reap the same relaxation benefits. It’s all about focusing one’s mind on something else, something a bit more interesting and something one has a lot more control over.

Whether you got into writing because it is so relaxing or not, making it a habit to write every day is a great way to reduce your stress. So many people have some method or routine that eases them into a calm state of mind at the end of the work day or when encountering a stressful situation. Writing is not only a great choice, but is also one of the most productive choices.

   4. Improved Memory and Communication Skills

Working on a complex project such as a novel is a great way to challenge one’s memory. Whether it’s developing an array of interesting features in your novel or qualities about certain characters, you as a writer have to keep track of all of them to avoid contradictions in your novel.

And yes, while it’s easier to remember the details regarding something you’re passionate about, it’s still an excellent way to improve your memory.

As a bonus, constructing stories and interesting dialogue also helps to improve your communication skills. The best story communicators are often the best storytellers, knowing what words to use and how to stitch them together. Writing makes for great practice in developing both of these skills which you can use anywhere in life.

   5. Increased Productivity

The last major benefit I will talk about, although there are certainly more, is that working consistently on your writing project encourages productivity. Many writers find large writing projects daunting as it requires a lot of time and effort. However, these are projects that are best completed through consistent work as often as possible, rather than with random bursts of energy.

If you struggle to complete projects or would like to see a measurable difference in your efforts, you need to form a habit of writing. One is encouraged by the progress they make consistently, not by the random bursts I mentioned earlier, as they often focus on the long gaps in between where no work was done.

If you can get into the habit of writing every day, and keep with the momentum, your confidence and productivity will soar!

Tips for Making Writing a Daily Habit

   1. Set Realistic Goals

If you want to make a habit of writing every day, you need to set realistic goals to avoid any letdowns. As with most things, when inspired, people tend to get carried away. Usually, that is fine, but with long-term projects, you are running a marathon, not a sprint. Those that work too hard reach burnout a lot faster with writer’s block close behind.

The question is, what kind of limit do you want to set for yourself?

If you have a tight schedule or many responsibilities, one of the best limits is a time limit. It could be an hour or two a day where you try to get as much writing done as you can. For others, it's a word limit. If you can write a lot of words fluidly, then perhaps setting a simple goal of 500 to 1000 words a day should be enough to encourage consistent writing.

   2. Eliminate Distractions

Of course, you don’t want to dive into writing and stop every few minutes to deal with a nagging distraction or lose yourself in social media. Although it might be tough at first, try to distance yourself from these distractions physically and mentally. Don’t write in front of the tv, put your phone on the other side of the room, and certainly try to stay off any other online distractions.

At the same time, take note of the responsibilities you have. Try to handle the most anxiety-inducing responsibilities and chores before writing so you don’t have to worry about them. Of course, there will be times when the distractions win, but most of the time it is down to willpower and forethought. Enjoy the writing experience!

   3. Find Support and Encouragement

It’s a small piece of advice, but one that works very well, especially with the social writer. If you struggle to stick to the habit, it might help to start the habit with another writer or ask for the support of a friend or family member. Sometimes we need someone nagging us into something we want to do, at least until the habit is formed.

And some writers like to collaborate with other writers, encouraging each other and reporting progress through calls or texts. Having someone support you, or even count on you, can give you that little nudge in the right direction.

   4. Experiment with Writing Prompts

I’ve already talked about writing prompts, you can find them online or make your own. Small ideas can be noted down and used later to help spark an interesting scene. One’s instincts can only carry one so far before a genuine direction is needed.

And some days it’s good to take a break from the bigger project, but keep the writing habit going with a short story or another novel. Writing prompts can really come in handy when ideas are short, so whenever a good idea comes along, write it down and save it for later.

   5. Celebrate Your Successes

Too often creative types make a fuss about the times they aren’t pursuing their passion or their disappointment in their progress. It can really bring down one’s enthusiasm!

By the same token, one can lift their spirits by celebrating their progress and consistency. You don’t need to celebrate every chapter you write, but perhaps every few. It doesn’t need to be a big celebration either, just a special something that helps you appreciate your efforts.

You will find that appreciating even the small things can have a profound effect on your writing enthusiasm.
​

My Thoughts

Consistency in anything is always a good idea. Writing should be approached with decent energy and enthusiasm. It’s much better than writing spontaneously with long breaks in between, and certainly better than writing so much that one comes to hate writing and burnout.

No, I don’t think you have to write every day, but every two or three days is an excellent way to keep the interest alive and the process fun.

If you already have a habit of writing every day, what are some of the methods you use to stay consistent? What benefits have you noticed in writing regularly? Let me know in the comments below!

Thank you for reading and as always,

Good day, goodnight, and happy writing!
​