Okay, so you’ve been bitten by the writing bug. You finished your first essay, poem, or novel chapter. How do you keep your momentum going? The answer is to cultivate your writing life. Here are five practical ways to do it:
Identify the necessary conditions to support your writing practice
This is something beginning (and some experienced) writers take for granted. Without the right conditions, writers can become burnt out, disengaged, or frustrated, resulting in the writer abandoning a project before it even gets started.
Every writer is unique and thus the conditions that are necessary for you may not be the same for others. Essential conditions to nurture my writing practice starts with a writing workspace that is separate from my day job workspace (i.e., a separate desk and computer). In my writing space I must have a printer, dictionary, and a thesaurus, as well as a whiteboard to workshop ideas.
I used to keep a pencil and small notebook on my nightstand and in my pocketbook just in case ideas came to me while not at my desk. But as my writing life has progressed, I found that recording ideas into the Notes application on my cell phone worked best for me.
Consider the conditions you need. Do you need the door shut and natural light? Do you work better in a communal space like a coffee shop or library? Play around with your environment and take note of what supports you in getting the words on the page.
Establish and maintain your writing community
Writing communities consciously cultivate spaces to observe and create, reflect, and learn in community, while also challenging writers to imagine new possibilities. Look to establish your writing community by joining the major literary centers near you and attending their readings, workshops, and open mics. Often these activities and events are no or low cost and are filled with writers looking to make connections.
You can also join a writing program, participate in a fellowship, or attend a residency. These types of community settings typically require you to apply and be accepted, while also requiring payment. However, programs, fellowships, and residencies are great venues to write in community for extended periods.
Naturally, you’ll develop relationships with some of the writers you meet in these settings. Maintain these relationships by volunteering to be a beta reader or accountability partner to fellow writers, and I guarantee other writers will return the favor. By establishing and maintaining your writing community, you enhance stories you care about, as well as your own.
Engage in activities that inspire your creativity
Choreographer turned author Twyla Tharp says in her book The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life that “[creativity] is the product of preparation and effort, and it’s within reach of everyone who wants to achieve it. All it takes is the willingness to make creativity a habit, an integral part of your life.”
While many writers turn to writing prompts as an effective way to inspire creativity, Tharp challenges you to think outside the proverbial box. Try mining photographs for memory, or visiting a museum on the topic you are writing about, or going for a walk to stimulate endorphins and produce free flowing thought, or people-watching at a café. The possibilities are literally endless.
Draft an artist statement
An artist statement describes your literary art whether it be a body of work or a specific project. Writing an artist’s statement can be a good way to clarify your own ideas about your work and help you remember why you’re writing and what you want to achieve.
Think of your artist statement as your intention. In Susan Bell’s The Artful Edit: On The Practice of Editing Yourself, Bell describes intention as the overarching aim of a work that guides both writer and reader. Why do you want this piece of writing to live? Your intention lies in how you answer.
Bonus tip: Limit your artist statement to no more than 100 words or three sentences—the standard length for most publishers and review or selection committees.
Set targets and deadlines for yourself
Writer Amy Tan sent twenty-five pages to her editor every week when she wrote her memoir Where The Past Begins. Like Tan, working toward specific and realistic goals can get you one step closer to completing that manuscript you are working on.
Consider creating a timeline for finishing your manuscript that accounts for writing multiple drafts, developmental editing, beta reading, and any publishing tasks. Do you have a goal of finishing in 3 months? 6 months? 1 year? Pace yourself and schedule times to write. What days of the week and what times during the day will you write? How long will you write? Do you have a goal of writing 250 words a day? 500 words a day? 1,000 words a day?
Devoting time up front for planning your writing schedule will save you time and energy as you pump out that 70,000 word speculative fiction novel.
Cultivating a writing life never ends. As you grow and evolve as a writer, you’ll take on new and challenging projects. So be sure to revisit what supports you need and what is and isn’t working.
I look forward to reading your work. Keep writing.
