How to be a writer: Start this unstoppable writing routine to write your book faster

Like everything else, writing begins with good habits.

I recently hosted a workshop where my friend Arline Malakian talked about the creative mindset. During her presentation, she asked everyone to close their eyes and choose a colour. Sure enough, when she asked them to open their eyes, they saw that colour everywhere.

Writing a book is like that too.

When you create a writing habit, you’ll start to see your book everywhere you go, throughout your day, especially if you start your habit in the morning. Soon your book will take on a life of its own, and will begin to write itself. This is called “being in flow.”

So how do you get there?

First, start with writing every day. I recommend 20 minutes of journalling. This is a great way to get your creative juices flowing, plus it’s a beautifully cathartic and reflective exercise.

Don’t be discouraged if you feel clumsy with this at first. It’s like riding a bike—you might feel the words are slow to come, and like you might fall over.

Keep going.

Eventually, you’ll catch momentum. The words will flow and your book will begin to emerge. And before you know it, your book will practically write itself.

But that’s not the best part.

Once you’ve mastered 20 minutes a day, begin to increase your writing time. That’s where the gold is.

Really that first sprint is just the fluff of your consciousness, the debris from your day and to-do lists, surface-level feelings and concerns.

What comes next is like a yoga pose when you hold your position just a little bit longer—it’s the stretch, the growth, the deeper awareness, the subconscious.

The longer you can hold that pose, the more precious the material you will mine for your book.

So start with 20 minutes a day, lean in and grow from there.

Cat xo

PS: I’m hosting a 6-week INTRODUCTION TO WRITING class starting September 7 where I’ll share the fundamentals of writing a book. It’s a chance to explore your story, get feedback on your idea and writing and create some accountability to help you move forward with your passion project. Click here to sign up.