So, how does this apply to writing? And potentially many other subjects?
I've wanted to write. Seriously, it's just a passion as much as it is a potential career choice. I love the fact that I can create, make passages, worlds, characters, all at my fingertips. You don't need a long stretch of time; you just need to write a paragraph of thought. Even if just once every day; anyone can do 100 words. Eventually, you'll build onto that one paragraph and want to write more. Writing, much like getting up at a specific time, brushing your teeth, or eating at specific times, is all about managing your habits. Most of us don't think about eating dinner; it's because we do it everyday. It's a routine, and it's something we don't skip out on. As they say, it takes 21 days to build a habit, and the best habits come with training your brain on the time of day.
I write best in the mornings. Sometimes I'll be able to squeeze out about 2-4,000 words in the evening if I really try or know what I want to write. My personal record is ~8,600 words between two writing sessions in a single day, totaling ~3 hours. Obviously, every writer is different, and you do not have to meet this metric to be a good writer. However, some of the best writers have trained themselves to write a specific points per day, tricking their brain into thinking, "Oh, now is writing time. Alright, time to focus". We turn our phones on airplane mode, we minimize all distractions, and we just focus on the document. It sounds difficult at first, especially if you have no idea what to write. The trick around writer's block is to just write in stream of consciousness. Eventually, you'll get something if you hammer away at it enough.
Furthermore, while you could get away with not writing for one day, it's best to not skip another day after. Your brain starts to lose that habit, and it starts to think that it's normal to not write at your specific time if you don't do it enough. You want to avoid this and try to be consistent with your body. Even if you're a spontaneous kind of person, your circadian rhythm exists and will try to adjust based on the time of day, what it thinks it should be doing at that day, and your overall hormone production during specific times of the day. In short, try to stick the schedule. Even so, it's okay if you don't, just as long as you do it everyday. The problem is that, for many seeking the writing journey, it can feel more like a task than for fun and that's when you start to lose the passion. Just write that story that you love, even if makes sense to nobody yet. Clarity will come later, even if you think your ideas aren't good right now. Just write anyway, see what comes up, and don't scrap anything unless you're ready to put together the final document. Write because you want to, not because you feel like you have to. Sometimes we must return to our inspirations to feel the creative juices flowing again.
While working or doing schoolwork, it is really hard to write because you can feel like you don't have enough time. That existential dread of having other assignments is awful and a universally-experienced emotion. I remember having to write and do schoolwork for a time in winter of 2024-2025, and some days I sacrificed my writing time just to get my homework done, even though I somehow still convinced myself to write for at least 30 minutes a day most of those days. You can do it! If I did it, the world is your oyster.
One thing most people aren't telling new writers is that writing requires concentration; it requires immense focus. When you let your brain sink into this world that you're creating, it's not a matter of thinking about the world anymore. You're living it. It's just as real as this one because your mind has over a pound of thoughts waiting to be written on a page. You just have to find them and clear the traffic. Even if you don't think good ideas exist, they do; find your diamonds and polish them. To the people who live with me, if you ever find me irritable in the morning while I'm typing on my computer, it's because that's a sacred time. Gotta write, write, write!
An element I think is universal among writers is that we prime our minds before we start writing. What does this mean? During our commutes, showers, or whenever we have a spot to think, we just think about what we want to write next. Maybe it's another chapter; perhaps it's lore of a specific monolith, or even new character creation for someone who'd be key to the story's success. You never know, and as long as you brainstorm, there are never any bad ideas. Often, I find it's useful to brainstorm with other people (if they know what I'm talking about), but thinking on your own about what to write is always a good idea. It gives your story a degree of autonomy, and when you have people, you can bounce your ideas off of, you can determine whether something makes sense or if you think of something even better. You'll do ten thousand edits before you publish a book.
The final tip I'll share for this balance is to try to have a pre-writing ritual. Some are very simple, like drinking coffee and opening a document (that's what I do). Others are more robust and memorable, like sharpening 24 pencils before you sit down to write. Find whatever works for you; maybe it's a scented candle, a music playlist, or literally anything that tells your brain it's time to write. The trick is to find something that works, and that can be anything.
Anyway, I hope I shared some good information with you today. In 15 days, Torn In Two is out to the public! I hope you guys love the book just as much as I loved making it. Lots of blood, tedium, and love went right to the novel and I hope that one day many of you can say the same about your debut.
Until we meet again,
Dustin