Someone once asked me if I write every day. I do. Every. Single. Day. I write something. It may be a letter, a journal entry, a short story, a poem, or a chapter of my latest work-in-progress – but I do not skip a single day of writing. Not once, not ever. The reason being that the more I write, the faster and the easier writing becomes. It becomes an ingrained habit, something that feels as natural as breathing oxygen.
Daily Practice for Best Results
It may sound strange coming from someone who doesn’t post a blog on a regular basis, but I am always writing. When I’m not writing, I’m thinking about writing. I’m thinking about marketing my books or what project needs the greatest attention to achieve the biggest impact. Writing isn’t just a hobby. Someday, I want to make it my primary occupation – and that means I need to give it the same devotion and attention that anyone who wishes to master a craft must.
Why Practice Matters
Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers, proposed that it takes spending 10,000 hours of practice (correct practice, mind you) to achieve mastery of any task. Spending at least an hour a day practicing your writing skills means that in just 3 years you can master the art of writing. This is why daily practice in writing of all kinds is essential: Whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction, poetry or prose, practice your craft. Fiction writers and non-fiction writers alike can use the skills of character development. Non-fiction writers and fiction writers can both use the craft of efficient letter writing.
Writing for the Future
The single piece of advice I would offer to anyone who wishes to become a writer is to write. Write every day. Write something, anything, for as long as you can as often as you can. Keep a journal or a diary and write in it every day. What you write is not as important as your writing it down. Record snatches of conversation that catch your attention, record observations of weather and movement. Everything you write today is something you can potentially use in the book you’re writing tomorrow.
Getting the Most Out of What You’ve Written
If you get bored and you lack inspiration for writing that day, comb through past journals and look for ideas that you’d forgotten. You’ll surprise yourself with what you find. Or, sit down, set an egg timer for 10 minutes, and keep the pen moving writing whatever comes to mind over the next 10 minutes without stopping to censor or erase. The important thing isn’t what you write, it’s that you’re writing. And once you start writing, it becomes easier to write more.
Your Challenge…
So, yes, I write every day. Do you?