Many published writers and writing teachers offer three pieces of consistent advice.

They they tell aspiring writers to…

  1. Read, a lot.
  2. Be persistent, getting published takes time.
  3. And to write every day.

It’s this third piece of advice that I’d like to focus attention on today.

It’s easy to hear that advice and think, “Okay, I can write every day.” and yet few people actually do write every day. I think the biggest reason is a misunderstanding of the reason behind the advice.

For example, when I first heard that bit of advice I thought it was related to productivity. If you write every day then you’ll finish your book sooner, right?

We’ll that’s likely true but it’s really not the biggest benefit to writing every day.

Here’s what happens when you write every single day…

You Maintain a Firm Hold On Your Story and Characters

When you write every single day, the story and the characters stay fresh in your mind. This is important. When you put down a story for a few days, a week, or a month then you lose your grip on the story. It fades in your imagination. When you return to your manuscript the colors are muted and often they’ve changed completely. It’s almost like trying to go back into a dream you’ve woken from. It’s never the same. Your dream looks and feels different and it takes a new path.

However, when you write every day the story actually strengthens and becomes richer. It becomes part of you and part of your life. I believe there’s something that happens in your brain. That there is a neurological process that occurs – almost as if you’re creating a vision or manifestation boar. When you write every day you’re willing that story to become reality – to become a published romance novel.

You Make Writing Your Priority

Writing every day also changes your mindset. Instead of it being something that you do in your spare time or your hobby, when you write every single day it becomes a priority in your life.

This simple habit completely changes your perspective about your writing goals and dreams. Instead of being a dream, it becomes a goal and something you’re focused on.

Think about your daily task list. Writing or working on your romance manuscript is probably on your list but is it a priority? Is it something that you make sure you do every single day?

 You Reach Your Goals More Quickly

How long are you willing to wait to reach your goal of being a published romance author? If you want to achieve your dreams sooner rather than later then it’s time to get busy and take that goal seriously.Writing every day is a much more reasonable approach to success than writing when you have time or writing when you feel your muse speaking to you.

Getting Started

Taking the first step is the hardest. Here’s what I did.

I bought a sunrise alarm. They’re those alarms that gradually brighten the room so your body wakes up naturally. I set the alarm to wake me up at five. I meditate, make coffee, and take care of the pets. Then at six I begin writing. I write until nine and then I get to work on client projects.

Now I have the benefit of working from home but this type of set up can work for you. The idea is to make time to write every day. If you’re not a morning person then create a nightly ritual. If nights don’t work for you then go hide in your car during your lunch break and write during your lunch hour. If writing is your passion and you aspire to publish then make time – make writing your priority and write every single day.

Note: I also use Outlook and put it on my calendar. I set it to recur every day for 100 days. I did this so I knew automatically when I’d achieved my goal of writing for 100 days in a row. And then…I rewarded myself with a week off. You choose the reward. For me, free time is the biggest reward of all and that week off is always relished.

Happy writing!