How to make the writing habit stick

Do you love to write?

Stupid question—of course you do. That’s why you’re creating a career out of it.

But do you actually look forward to it most of the time?

There will be days that are frustrating. Maddening, even. But most of the time, writing should be enjoyable. Why? Because the truth is, if you don’t like it, you’re a lot less likely to stick with it. (Think about it: If you don’t learn to cook vegetables in a way that makes them palatable, you’re going to choose pizza instead.)

Writing is nothing if not a habit. And to create and sustain a habit, you have to identify with it (“I am a novelist/writer/author”) … and find it rewarding; that's the last part of what scientists call the “habit loop”: Cue —> Behavior —> Reward

You could argue that the writer’s reward is the satisfaction of having written, and/or having a book to publish. That’s definitely true. But the reward can also occur during the behavior. To return to the food analogy, being proud of yourself for eating something you hated may not make you reach for it again the next day; noshing on something delicious is going to have the opposite effect. So it goes with writing.

The easiest way to bring more enjoyment to your writing is to look at it as a refuge rather than a requirement.

Research shows that women who think about exercise as an escape from the stressors of life are most likely to break a sweat regularly. As far as I know, similar research doesn’t exist on writing or creativity. Among my clients, however, I’ve noticed that those who think of writing as “me time” tend to be more prolific—and successful. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.

Yes, writing is a job (at least if you’ve decided to do it to make money—and I’d argue that you should). But reminding yourself that it’s the best job can make a world of difference in how you show up to work every day.