Creating Good Writing Habits // Guest Post by Natasha Joy

    Hello, dear friend!! 

*everybody who thought I was for sure dead from the blogosphere*

    And... I mean, if you did think that, I don't blame you. Cause it's not like I've been particularly active on my blog or anybody else's in the past...five...months... *blinks*. And we won't even talk about the newsletter I haven't sent out yet.  I have reasons for not posting and whatnot which I will touch on in my next blog post, but as for right now, let's jump right into today's GUEST POST by my good friend Natasha Joy!!

    Tasha is such an awesome gal who I hardcore relate to (after all, we do have the same MBTI type) ;) and I am SO EXCITED to use today's post to help announce her new blog which she has just started!! (You should totally go check it out, if you haven't! It's BEAUTIFUL!!! 😍😍😍) That said, let's give a big ole round of applause as I let her take the spotlight! ;P

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    When I first started writing, I would write anywhere from fifty to one hundred words for a couple days and then put it away and not look at it for weeks or even months. I loved writing, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t see the need to write all the time. It was more something to pick up and dabble at when I had nothing else to do. I figured that if I really enjoyed writing, I could start when I was older. And so for years I lived in this cycle of “writing when I felt like it”, and the only habit I was creating was the habit of starting a project only to ditch it three hundred words later for something new and shiny. Now, I look back on those years and wish I had someone who told me the importance of writing habits and then gave me advice for cultivating them. So today I’m going to share three ways that have helped me cultivate writing habits. 

1. Start Small

    Give yourself small goals. This is honestly the best advice I can give you. Sure, you can start big if you really want to, but that’s not usually the greatest idea because starting big can cause you to burn out quickly. Instead work towards those big goals. Start with fifteen minutes a day or one hundred words a day. Then, when you’re consistently hitting that goal, increase it a little bit. You’ll be hitting those big goals in no time. And while you’re trying to work up to larger goals, don’t feel like you can’t downsize if life is crazy busy and you don’t have time to write. For instance, for a long time I was writing at least six times a week but right now we have a lot going on so I just don’t have time to write as much as I was so for now I’m aiming to write four times a week. 

2. Reward Yourself

    Who doesn’t like a little something to get them motivated? Certainly not I. I’ve found that having something to look forward to when I hit a milestone, helps me push forward. This in turn pushes through writers block, one of good writing habits biggest enemies. I’d suggest spacing out your rewards so that it’s actually something you have to work a little bit harder for. My milestones, for example, are 10k, 30k, and 70k. Of course you’ll have to decide for yourself when those milestones are, that’s just what I do. You might be wondering, “What kind of rewards do I use?” And that’s a great question. 

I have three go to rewards: 

• I buy myself a bar of dark chocolate

• When I get new books, I set one aside to read once I hit my milestone

• I go get Starbucks!

These are just a few ideas. But they should give you an idea that you need to find something you love to use as a reward. 

3. Get Accountability

    Guys, I cannot express how incredibly helpful my accountability group on Young Writers Workshop is for creating and sustaining writing habits. Not only do the members keep you accountable, but they also act as cheerleaders as they watch you grow these habits. So my advice to you is find a fellow writer, or group of writers, who can all keep each other accountable. Check in with one another once a week or every other week to see how your goals are going. And no, this isn’t cheating. Just like with any sport, career, or activity you do, writing isn’t a one man game. We need people to help and cheer us along on the journey. 

Be Patient

    I want to finish with some old, but good, advice. Be patient with yourself. Habits don’t grow overnight. They take time. So let yourself miss a day of writing but don’t let that signal an extended break. Get back up and try again. Because you know what? Practice doesn’t make perfect. It makes progress.

Natasha Joy is a 17 year old fantasy and dystopian writer with a passion for creating stories that are inspired by and bring glory to Yahweh. In her spare time, you can find Tasha reading, going for walks, experimenting with photography, and memorizing scripture for Bible quizzing. She loves the beauty of nature…from ladybugs to towering pine trees. Keep in touch with her and learn more about her writing at her blog joyfullynatasha.com and her Instagram @natashajoywriter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Thank you so much for the post, Tasha!! All of these pieces of advice are so so helpful and I know that they'll DEFINITELY help me create better writing habits for myself (and every other writer who reads this)! 😜 Remember to check out Tasha's blog HERE, and I'll catch you all on the flip side soon!

Tally-ho!

Victoria

    Which of Tasha's tips do you find most helpful? Do you have any advice on creating writing habits to share? What kind of reward would you give yourself after reaching a milestone?

    Want more, exclusive content by me? Sign up to my quarterly newsletter HERE for more fun and special updates available only to newsletter subscribers!