100+ daily writing tips

The people have spoken! It seems that readers often visit my blog in search of writing tips for their daily productivity. I’ve heard you! And I’ve decided to make a master list of tips on how to write every day, which I will keep expanding and editing to get you the best possible advice a writer can wish for. Consider this a continuation of my reflections on daily writing, but without the fluff and getting distracted with personal stories.

Daily writing tips

1. Have a dedicated writing space
2. Set a time for writing every day
3. Use timers (either for writing sprints, or if you like to use the Pomodoro method)
4. Prepare snacks and beverages in advance
5. Never stop — even if you have one bad day, it shouldn’t ruin your overall progress. You don’t stop running the marathon if you trip or stumble at the first mile. Keep going!
6. Set a goal — words, lines, pages written or edited. Everything counts!
7. Keep distractions to a bearable minimum. E.g., if you’re a young parent, you can make your kid’s nap time your dedicated writing time.
8. Get yourself an accountability buddy. There are plenty of live streams on YouTube dedicated to focused work. Or you can ask a friend to check up on you.
9. Editing while writing is okay, just don’t overdo it. As long as you end up with more words after each writing/editing session, you’ll be alright.
10. Set a deadline — for your first draft, first edit, incorporating beta reader’s input, working with your editor, etc.
11. If writing every day doesn’t work for you, every other day is okay too. Keep yourself on a schedule, just as long as you stick to it.
12. Use flashcards — for writing plot points, scenes, character cards, etc. It can be very useful to help you organise your writing.
13. Write your progress down in a notebook or on a whiteboard. Keeping it visual can be very encouraging. When you feel like you’re not making much progress, look at your word count log for the past week or month.
14. Make a Pinterest board — for your characters, setting the scene, or simple inspiration.
15. Use writing prompts — if you’re stuck, you can find plenty on the internet, even random generators for writing ideas. All you need is a little push in the right direction.
16. Change locations! Go to your local library or a cosy cafe that you like. Maybe it can inspire the setting for your next scene.
17. Interview someone who’s an expert or has personal experience in something that you’re writing about.
18. Make a questionnaire and collect your own data on a topic of interest. This works just as great as an interview with an expert. You’re just approaching the issue from a different angle.
19. Challenge yourself. E.g., try to write a novella in just a week. This can be a fun experiment and a break from your long-form projects.
20. Understand your limits. Not every writing day will be productive. Even 100 words count towards the big goal.
21. Decide how many hours you can dedicate to writing daily. 10-hour writing days can be totally doable, but is it going to be worth it in the long run?
22. Don’t rely on alcohol or stimulants to fuel your writing. I know that many prominent writers in the history of literature did just that, and it turned out fine for them. But that is most likely survivorship bias.
23. Feeling stuck? Look around and use your surroundings for inspiration. What do you see, smell, feel, hear, taste?
24. Switch things up and use pen and paper to write! Or maybe even a typewriter!
25. Draw inspiration from your personal life, people you know, things that have happened to you, etc.
26. Read the news — dipping into everyday politics might be helpful with your worldbuilding, or get familiar with criminal cases when you are writing a thriller. Many great stories were inspired by real events. This little exercise may help you keep your stories authentic and familiar.
27. Grab a thesaurus! An interesting word may give you an idea for a new scene. In fact, on my old blog, I used to have this game where I would pick a random word and write a short story about it. It was a fun, creative exercise.
28. … to be continued

Here are just a few tips to get you started! I’ve decided to take a pause here and publish the list as it is. I’d hate to keep you waiting! Of course, I’ll keep expanding this list, as promised, and hopefully soon we’ll get to a hundred and beyond!