Writing Stack Exchange
Writing Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [habits]

Writing habits, routines, and systems for writing.

19 questions
25
votes
14 answers

How to deal with self-criticism?

I write non-fiction articles for my website and a weekly paid newsletter, and I’m doing that for some time now. However, I still struggle a lot with self-criticism, and find it hard to regard an article as “good”, let alone something I’m proud of.…
Jura
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18
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5 answers

What can one do to get the most from limited writing time?

I do make an effort to write every day, and usually succeed, but I just have too much going on in my life right now to give my writing the time it would like to have. When I do have time, blog posts, tech papers, etc. try very hard to crowd out the…
HedgeMage
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12
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3 answers

How can I create my own deadline?

I'm very responsible when I'm writing a tech book or article under contract. I have a deadline, my editor is expecting my work, and I turn it in on time. Sometimes I put it off a bit, but I pride myself on making deadlines, and I will do whatever is…
Lynn Beighley
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11
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6 answers

What makes a great writer's space?

If you have a usual or favorite place to write at home, what makes it so good? I like having multiple places to write -- sometimes I find a change of scenery helps break a block -- but my most-used space is my desk at home. Big, clicky ergonomic…
HedgeMage
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11
votes
10 answers

1000 words a day for a part-time writer

I've got a 40h, full-time job, as many do. Yet I'd like to become a writer someday, or at least, bring a novel through the first draft. This considered, I'm trying to give myself a daily target of 1000 words to write each day at least. I'm starting…
Liquid
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10
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3 answers

Does writing regular diary entries count as writing practice?

One of the most common pieces of writing advice I hear is that you should write frequently and often. Writing regular entries in a diary should fit this criteria, but I'm hesistant to call my years of writing entries as serious, qualitative writing…
ObsoleteUsername
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6
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5 answers

How do I balance reading time with writing time?

It's rare to find a how-to-write book or blog that doesn't have this advice: "Read. Voraciously. In all genres, especially your genre of choice, books both good and bad. You won't develop as a Writer unless you are a Reader." I'd like to spend more…
Sheelawolf
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6
votes
5 answers

What are "good" writing habits?

I always read that good writers shouldn't use similitudes and metaphors. Also, a writer shouldn't use too many descriptions. Then, I read Raymond Chandler and my little stupid world of securities went down. He wrote with similitudes, he described…
Vito
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5
votes
4 answers

How can I make description more natural to me?

Description is a weakness in my fiction. My understanding is that the first priority in fiction is to tell the story. Setting does this by providing props and indicating character mindsets, either externally (clothes; home decor decisions;…
Sheelawolf
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4
votes
5 answers

How can I learn to write by hand again?

For a while I moved away from pen and paper, my handwriting was bad, it was sloppy, digital was the future. I barely write anything now, I don't even have notebooks or nice pens. But writing by hand helped me get the ideas out. I want to get back in…
Zelda
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3
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2 answers

Writer's Notebook

How can I use a writer's notebook to improve my writing?
Mary Yetter
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3
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1 answer

How can one go about writing with a full time job?

I'm a single working professional who after work, chores, and sleep can manage to find only a few hours to sit down and write each day. I do however try to religiously read everyday. Writing seems to take more effort from my part. Can anyone share…
Vigneswara Prabhu
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3
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2 answers

Is it a bad habit to only write at night?

For some reason, I can only seem to get in the "zone" at night time. Like 9:30pm and past that. Whenever I try to write during the day, I can't get myself to write something that's actually good, or even be able to stay focused. Since I only write…
AmazingMc
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2
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1 answer

becoming better blogger when I write about diverse topics

I often tend to treat my blog as my diary and thereby end up having a mix up personal and general blogs on my site. I understand that it does not attract readers - a mixed bag of one liner and articles dwindling between different arenas. I am a…
ND_27
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2
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2 answers

How do you deal with writing fatigue?

After writing for an hour I have to go to bed for an hour and this repeats for a few cycles every day. How do you deal with this? I don't know if I would have the willpower to push myself to do exercise or cook in that post-writing mental state. Is…
Jack Pan
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