There are many views on whether daily writing improves your writing and helps you succeed.
I’ve been on both sides of the argument. Sometimes, I think daily writing is helping me grow as a writer. Other times, I think daily writing isn’t necessary as long as you are consistent with publishing.
It’s also a matter of whether you have stuff to write about, which is a significant concern for most writers. Even though they want to write every day, they can’t because they do not have enough ideas or topics.
I write every day and have been doing so for a long time. Although I take long breaks sometimes, I enjoy writing something daily.
Many writers also mistake daily writing for publishing an article each day. That’s not what it means. I don’t write a blog post every day. Instead, I also write on social media and drafts for upcoming articles. I publish around 3–4 articles per week. The remaining days are for writing other stuff like my newsletter, LinkedIn posts, and random drafts for future articles.
Here are four strategies I use to write daily without burning out:
1. Freewriting is the best way to practice daily writing.
My writing completely changed when I discovered freewriting.
I used to struggle to find ideas for my writing. Then, I read a story on Medium about freewriting, and it was a game-changer. Freewriting for two weeks helped me develop many ideas and discover the power of daily writing.
What is freewriting?
It is to write about anything you want without overthinking the results. You also don’t have to worry about publishing your content. I consider freewriting like working out my writing muscles. You go to the gym and lift weights to strengthen your muscles. Similarly, you practice freewriting to grow your writing muscles.
The purpose of training in the gym is to remain fit and healthy, not to participate in the “Who’s The World’s Strongest Man” challenge. Similarly, freewriting is not for publishing daily. It’s to be prepared when you have to write to publish.
I practice freewriting to explore my writing abilities. It gives me self-confidence as a writer because when you do something repeatedly, you get good at it. You are prepared to fight any battles that come your way.
2. Have an idea bank before you sit down to write.
I have a journal just for writing ideas. I call it my Idea Bank. I make notes on topics and also write outlines for articles.
It’s always good to have a topic prepared before you sit to write. Instead of staring at the blank screen and thinking back and forth about what to write, you should start collecting ideas beforehand.
Top writers also suggest writing at least ten headlines daily to prepare for the battle. I’ve tried it, but it didn’t work for me because I can’t force myself to think of ideas. Instead, I let them come naturally; when they do, I capture them in my journal.
I already have 5–6 ideas to write about for the next couple of days. That way, I always have something to write about.
Get yourself a notebook, and use it to build your idea bank.
3. Conscious consumption to collect ideas and gain knowledge.
You must have a source to fill your idea bank with. So, how do you collect ideas for your writing?
My way is by consciously consuming content. This means that I stay prepared to identify anything relevant to my writing. I collect ideas in my journal or phone when consuming content—reading books or articles, watching YouTube videos, listening to a podcast, or communicating with someone.
Most of my ideas come from books and articles. I read with a pen and notebook around. If I cannot physically write something, I use my phone to capture ideas as best I can.
The interesting fact about finding ideas is that they come when you least expect them. About ninety percent of the time, I get ideas when focusing on something other than writing, like meditation, running, or talking to friends. Ryan Holiday’s best writing advice was to go do interesting things.
I still look for ideas when I consume content, and that’s how I fill my idea bank.
4. Action before motivation: One of the best advice for writing.
We often wait for inspiration to strike to motivate us to take action — write. That’s the worst way to progress, not just in writing but in any work you do.
Motivation doesn’t always come before action. Often, when you take action, you find the motivation to move ahead and do the work.
Mark Manson calls it the “do something” principle. He says,
Action isn’t just the effect of motivation; it’s also the cause of it.
You often get stuck when you think of ideas (motivation) before writing (action). You have doubts regarding what you want to write. After overthinking for a few minutes, you are stuck there with zero progress. You end up not writing or publishing your work.
Instead, practice freewriting, as we discussed in the first point. When you begin writing whatever is in your head, you will find more ideas and want to continue.
Remember, you don’t have to publish everything you write. If you write 500 words daily (for example), at least a few ideas will be usable. You can develop excellent ideas when you begin to write instead of thinking and waiting for inspiration (or motivation).
