There are several universal truths about writing, and the first one is:
WRITING IS HARD.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, how can we make it easier?
Ernest Hemingway once said, “It’s none of their business that you have to learn how to write. Let them think you were born that way.”
I think Hemingway was onto something. Being a great writer is not an innate talent. It’s something that comes with a lot of practice. So what’s the one thing you can do right now that will make writing a little easier for you?
You can create a writing process, a routine, a ritual.
At the beginning of each semester, I devote one day to helping students create a writing process, which is defined as “the series of physical and mental actions that people take in the course of producing any kind of text.”
My writing process has evolved dramatically from when I was in undergrad, banging out my stories in the middle of the night while sitting on my bedroom floor with a 2-liter bottle of Diet Coke and pack of cigarettes.
Today I block out at least 2 hours when I know I’ll have few, if any, distractions, so I can really be “in the moment” with my story. Usually that means I turn off emails and social media, only checking them after 30 minutes of focused writing.
I don’t always have the luxury of walling myself off from the outside world. In those times, I write uninterrupted for 15 minutes, check my email, and then write for another 15 minutes.
And yes, I do this cigarette and (mostly) Diet Coke free 
But this is my routine. The writing process is person specific. What works for me may not work for you.
So as you create your own writing ritual, here are a few things to consider:
—> How will you block out your time to write? Are you like me and need a few hours of (hopefully) uninterrupted time to really focus on your story? Or do you work better in short bursts of time?
—> What is your creative position? Whether you sit down, stand up or lie down to write, you need to get your brain engaged. For me, I work better when I’m walking around. I just think more creatively in motion. (And apparently I’m not alone. A 2014 Stanford study showed that participants who walked around while thinking were 60% more creative than those who sat. If you’re not already a walker, you may want to give it a try 
)
—> When writing the first draft, you don’t have to start at the beginning or follow some particular method. When I’m writing longer articles like profile pieces, if I can’t think of how to start, I’ll write from the middle. It lets me get my thoughts in order while I’m writing stuff down. Then you can go back to the beginning and write the first paragraph.
—> Music or no music? Many writers use music as “white noise,” to center them in their creative zone. Others see it as an obstacle to any good writing session. While I know other writers who swear by music to keep their ideas flowing, I personally don’t write to music. But maybe I should give it a try since studies have shown that listening to music facilitates divergent thinking.
According to legend, while writing “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Victor Hugo locked away his clothes to avoid any temptation of going outside. He wore only a large gray shawl for months until his book was finished.
Now I’m not saying you have to weave writing naked into your routine, but then again, no judge-y.
All this is to say that it really is your process. Whatever helps you get into the mood to write, to focus on your stories, to get it done is the perfect process.
Oftentimes you’ve eliminated distractions and you’re ready to start writing, but you just sit there. Some folks call it writer’s block. Others say that they’re bad at writing, and still others walk away figuring the ideas will flow better another day.
Here’s the thing, though. You already have the ideas.
The moment you thought, “I have to write a blog post,” your brain started working. The trick here is to get those first sentences down on paper (or pixels) to limber up your lobes. Don’t worry about spelling, grammar or formatting. Just get those thoughts down.
You might get lucky and the free writing session gets you sentences you can actually use. But typically, it just kind of steers your brain in the right direction, toward writing your first draft.
The main thing to understand is that writing is not pizza delivery. It’s not done well in 30 minutes or less. Especially when you’re starting out.
What will help is creating your personal process. Take the time right now to establish that process if you have none at all OR to update your process if it’s no longer working for you.
I’d love to hear what your process is. DM me on Instagram or tag me if you write a post about your writing process.
