So, you want to write daily?

Some people think it’s all about waking up early, grabbing a coffee, and sitting down with a laptop. And, then, ideas flow.

Some people are night owls and prefer to write in the evening when the kids sleep, and everything is quiet.

I am both.

People say that’s impossible. They also forget people are different.

Some mornings I get up early, and I have great ideas. But sometimes, I just want to stay in bed and have a good night’s sleep. Some nights, I burn the midnight oil because my head is bursting with ideas I want to capture. Sometimes, during my lunch break, I create outlines for articles. Sometimes, I go to a coffee shop for an hour because I need a change of scenery to be able to write.

I was trying to wake up early every day or write every night, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t sustainable for me.

Famous writers say we all need ‘sacred writing time’.

But do we?

They forget we are all different with our unique circumstances.

Do you have a writing routine?

I do.

But it’s different from other writers’ writing routines. I don’t stick to dogmas or the time of the day.

There’s only one rule I follow: I need to write.

Every. Single. Day.

I do my best to write 500 words every day. Some days are better, and I end up with 2000 words. I rarely write less than 500 words. I have multiple articles at different stages of the writing process, so if ideas don’t flow as they should, I jump onto a different story to beat writer’s block.

Where do I write? When do I write? What do I write with?

It doesn’t matter.

Once I stopped forcing another writer’s routine onto me, it finally allowed me to write more consistently. I just needed to understand how and why I write the way I do.

My writing routine (aka writing structure)

1. Idea
2. Keyword research
3. Desk research
4. Write headline & subtitle
5. Outline
6. Draft 1
7. Draft 2
8. Correct grammar
9. Read out loud (rewrite if necessary)
10. Let it sit for a day — Never post on edit day
11. Create a hero image & other images to illustrate the points
12. Publish
13. Repeat

Write as you wish. Write however you want. It’s all about finding what works for you!

There’s one key secret here: just don’t put it off.

If you’re new to me, my name is Niki. I’m a part-time writer with a 9-to-5 job in tech. Writing about my solopreneur experiments and adventures is one of my favourite things to do. If you’d like to know more about me:

Check out my About page.

At one time, I really pushed myself to my limits. If you’re a writer, you’ll find this story interesting:

NaNoWriMo: Writing 50,000 Words in 30 Days

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