My Weird Yet Effective Writing Routine

My weird yet effective writing routine

To me, writing is quite an intuitive process. I basically just follow my gut. Nevertheless, throughout the years, I’ve been able to develop a pretty effective routine, and I’m going to share it with you now!

Writing circuits. I don’t know about you, but I’m super lazy, and I also love to procrastinate. So, instead of writing for three hours straight, I split this time into little circuits and plan them throughout the day. Let’s say I’ll write for an hour in the morning, then an hour and a half in the afternoon and so on. It’s also incredibly beneficial for your health – both mental and physical.

Have a plan.  I’m a discovery writer, and I don’t really outline that much. But as I go about my day – eg. when working out, or running, or cooking, or eating, or sitting and doing nothing because of this procrastination right – I think about what I want to accomplish. And I usually ask myself the following questions. What is the purpose of this scene? Which characters should appear in this scene? Should it be more visual or more internally-focused? What actually happens? How should I describe it? Thanks to this, I have a general plan, and I’m much more motivated to actually write instead of visualizing that scene in my head (we all know this, don’t we?).

Write. Then I write. I write whatever pops into my head. I don’t care if it’s logical. I don’t care how many times I use abruptly, saw, felt, etc. I just allow my imagination to create this story.

Notes. When I end my final little session, I usually leave some comments for myself. What’s going to happen next, what’s the next big thing I want for my characters, etc. Having these notes makes everything easier; I immediately know what I’m supposed to do.

Having fun. I don’t care about the word count, deadlines, or anything like that. I enjoy the process, and I’m always very grateful for everything I write. I actually have this cute/weird habit: Whenever I end my writing session, I say ‘thank you’. Out loud. (Yeah, awkward, huh?) Thank you for my amazing imagination which allows me to create places and people in my mind! This kind of approach always makes me happy and even more motivated for my next writing session.

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List of Questions to Ask Yourself When a Story Feels Stuck

Basic Human Needs

When was the last time you took a break?

Are you mentally/emotionally/physically exhausted?

Have you recently had anything substantial to eat/drink?

Basic Writer Needs

How are you feeling? Examine any negatives. Self-doubt, jealousy, anxiety, etc. Why are you feeling this way? Did something prompt it? Reach out to others if you can.

Have you been writing in the same place for too long? Using the same playlist? Try changing it up.

When was the last time you took in creative media from someone else? Books, podcasts, movies, tv? Seek out stories other than your own. 

Are you falling into the trap of expecting perfection when there is no such thing?

Focus on the trouble spot

Do you know where you want your characters to be after the part you’re stuck on? 

Can something new be introduced? A ticking time bomb, a surprise attack, a betrayal, a murder, a confession? 

Do you like the constraints you’ve set up for yourself? That is, the setting, the characters present, the ‘props’ at their disposal? Anything you can add, change, or take away?

Reread the last couple of scenes before your trouble spot. Is there a way you could rewrite/detour the trajectory in a new, not stuck direction? 

The bigger picture

Do you know how the story ends?

Does your outline need to change? Would it help you to make an outline?

How do you want the events of this ‘stuck scene’ to affect the rest of the plot? Is there a different way to create the same results?

Are the characters acting in a way that doesn’t work with the plot? Which are you willing to change, the characters or the plot?

So, our Lung is on fire.

It is already threatened by huge deforestation, to the point it lost 20% of its wildth in less than 30 years.

It’s been burning for around two weeks and almost no word has been uttered about it. I, sincerely, have come to find out about it just now. I’m shooketh ™️ because we’re really burning away this planet.

The Amazon Rainforest holds 20% of global waters, it’s an area of incredible value in termns of biodiversity and, nevermind, it’s a crucial climate regulator. Spread awareness, demand help.

Art by @badartbysomeguy.

To the one who asked for more college Disney princess Steven, we lost your ask but here!