Become a Better Writer by Making the Most of the Morning
While you might associate a routine with something that’s mundane, there is no reason to think having a routine is something that’s negative.
For those creative types, it may be difficult to fathom how following a set of morning habits are helpful in staying motivated, on-schedule, and enthusiastic about doing their jobs. But the truth is, there is a lot to be said for ‘getting into a groove’ when you’re working as a writer.
Many famous writers have a reputation for being free-wheeling, temperamental, and hard-living individuals who do anything but keep regular hours.
Ernest Hemingway and Jack Kerouac are noteworthy wordsmiths who found greatness in their work but battled their personal demons while living in an unconventional manner.
In reality, it takes motivation, dedication, and discipline to be a successful writer, so the more steadfast habits you have in place to improve your skills, the better!
Here are six routines to get you primed for achieving greatness in your writing efforts:
1. Be an Early Bird!
As the old saying goes, ‘the early bird gets the worm.’ For skilled and novice writers alike, the early hours of the morning is an ideal time to compose your thoughts and work on your manuscripts.
Since fewer people are up, you’re less likely to be distracted by others. You can concentrate on your tasks at hand and get things accomplished while the rest of the world sleeps!
Beatrice Hastings, a writer at EduGeeksClub.com says: “Miracles began to happen when I started waking up at 4:30 am. Suddenly, my thoughts were in place, I could stay laser-focused for a longer time and by 9 am I was able to accomplish much more than I used to during the whole day”.
2. Develop and Customize a Morning Routine
Once you’re awake, it is always a smart idea to follow a routine to prepare you for the day and get you in the proper frame of mind to write. Regardless of what you have planned for the day, follow this routine without fail
By doing so, you are getting your day off to a structured start that’s helpful for getting in the right frame of mind for the rest of the day. You might include activities like meditation or stretching. Light exercise and quiet time prepare your brain and body to work more efficiently when you sit down to write.
3. Improve Your Vocabulary
As a writer, the more diverse your vocabulary is, the better you’re able to tell your story in colorful language that delights your audience. Ways that you can improve your vocabulary is by reading, studying the dictionary, or even using websites that teach synonyms and antonyms.
By studying words that are interchangeable and have the same meaning, you’re able to transform your writing by not repeating the same words. When you learn a new word, you should try to use it conversationally a couple of times that same day, just to ingrain it in your mental word vault.
4. Practice! Practice! Practice!
Practice makes perfect! The morning is an ideal time to practice your writing. Regardless of whether you use this time to jot down plotlines, notes, fresh ideas, or you’ve got a work in progress that you’re endeavoring on, your efforts contribute to your overall body of work.
The more you write, the better you become. Especially if you’re willing to advance your understanding of the craft. A true wordsmith knows that it takes a lifetime of efforts to honestly perfect their skills.
It isn’t something that happens overnight, without practice and forethought. If you are prone to being a procrastinator, resist the urge to indulge yourself in putting off your writing for another day.
5. Keep a Handwritten Journal
There is nothing more personal and inspiring than keeping a handwritten journal. It is sometimes a positive thing to pull away from your computer and keyboard.
A journal helps you establish a mind-body connection with your writing. You might even find that by putting a pen to paper, you tap into a higher stream of consciousness. The thoughts and ideas that you jot down in your diary could prove inspirational for use in your public works.
6. Define and Redefine Your Goals
As a writer, you need to set your goals and as you go along, redefine them. The morning is a marvelous time to review the work you’ve done and map out a plan to meet your project milestones.
It is always a smart idea to set realistic smaller goals, like completing a chapter or two of writing within a reasonable deadline because it is more ‘do-able.’ By taking more of a project management overview approach, you increase your chances that you make the deadlines and milestones you’ve set for yourself.
A Morning is a Fresh Start
When you want to develop your skills as a writer, the morning is an excellent time to establish the powerful habits that catapult you into success.
The most important thing is that you get started! In the beginning, you may find some days seem better or easier than others to get motivated. The hours before the sun comes up offers you an opportunity to compose your thoughts and put them into words.
Not only is this cathartic for your mind, body, and spirit, it also provides a great sense of accomplishment once you’ve completed your first – or your hundredth – published work. And there is no better way to start your day than that!