The Introverted Detective: Do writing routines matter?

I have been thinking about what my writing routine is. The real question is this; do they matter? Let's dive into that.

Courtesy of Dissolve.com

First, we define a writing routine. A routine is a sequence of actions regularly followed, according to the dictionary (Oxford Languages). By that logic, a writing routine is a sequence of actions you do when you sit down to write. Or stand up at a standing desk to write. Everyone has a different learning style. Everyone writes differently. It doesn't mean you force yourself to sit at your desk for five hours daily. No, that's not what this is. If that works, great, but not all writers worldwide can do that. It is personalized for how your brain works.

Is it important? Yes, it is. This routine tells your brain you are getting down to business and will write no matter how far away your personal muse is at the time. Whether the muse (your motivation) is practically dead or actively dancing around your desk metaphorically, the routine tells your brain cells to start firing. A routine will kill your writer's block many times over. Now the only question left is "What works for you?"

Personalizing Your Routine

Lately, the Pomodoro method has my brain firing. I also have two part-time jobs that take up my editing and writing time. I fall into the category of a weekly writer. I can't set a few hours aside every day of my life because I have multiple projects going on and I work. For this routine, I carve out at least 3 hours of editing and writing (sometimes just one, other times both) during my week. This lets ideas bloom in my head between writing sessions. No burnout here! The only advice to heed with this one is perhaps having clear goals of what needs to be done, planning a day to write concretely, and having a backup writing day. I try to do one day of editing and one day of writing, never mixing them. Life happens. Have a backup day so you don't skip the writing session on accident. Outlines are suggested.

Daily writers pick up their pen or laptop once daily and block out a period of time to only write. It is suggested that you leave some ideas for the next session before you stop for the day. Also, backup days are necessary when life decides to intervene. When stuck, writing prompts are a great help.

Writing throughout the day means you do a little at a time, usually when you have time. It's common to either make sure you write for a specific amount of time each day (added up throughout the day, of course) or mark out blocks of time during the day. Unpredictable schedule? No problem. You'll want to avoid editing as you go. Consider marking out time during your day, planning out when you stop and write, just because you can easily skip a session. Some people use dictation tools.

Binge-writers are like binge-watching. You wait until you have whole days of time and go at it for a long time. You reach your set goal, which is larger than other routines allow, and then don't have to write for a while. It isn't a daily routine, per se, but it works for some people. Don't set goals that set you up for failure and make sure you take care of yourself. Don't overdo this. You might want to go over your ideas and brainstorm every week, lest your novel be forgotten. Writing retreats are great for this type of routine. You can plan out a retreat weekend each month if you so desire to.

Hybrids of these routines exist. Do you know what works best for you? Great! Go for it. If not, though, you can try out the routines one by one. Hybridize your routine however you need to. Keep in mind how quickly you burn out, how much time you have on your hands, how distracted by life you are, and how much time you need to make progress on your novel or other written works. Writers don't write the same way.

What Routines Prove To Work

I can't go about this blog without mentioning famous writers and their routines. Being a full-time writer is also different from the small authors you see self-publishing (me!). I have two part-time jobs. Steven King and James Patterson only have one. Keep that in mind if you want to try these out. Maybe you don't have time to do these, but maybe you do.

E. B. White's routine is done amongst the ordinary fuss of life. He doesn't listen to music, but can still go about writing while life happens around him. The idea is this; "A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper."

Haruki Murakami gets up at four am to work for five or six hours. He then runs for ten kilometers and/or swims for fifteen hundred meters. He reads, listens to music, and goes to bed at nine pm. He strongly believes in repetition and keeps this routine going for at least six months of the year. I can't do that.

Ernest Hemingway writes every morning, stopping after he knows what is going to happen in the next scene. You make yourself wait until the next morning to write and keep the flow of ideas going strong. You don't completely empty yourself. Writer's block is not as common with this man, I'd imagine.

Henry Miller wrote commandments for writing. I will sum them up. Work on one book at a time and don't think about your other ideas until you are done. Don't work according to mood. You can scrap the routine for one day, but go back the next day. Live life. Write first, life after.

Jodi Picoult doesn't believe in writing block. She thinks it means you have too much time on your hands because usually, deadlines fix writing blocks quickly. "You can't edit a blank page." You can write and it won't always be great, but you can't edit nothing.

I only included some of the routines I read about. They all vary. Some will walk on a treadmill (A.J. Jacobs) and write, while others literally rent a hotel room for a writing space only (Maya Angelou). Nathan Englander's advice is turn off your devices, to unplug while you write. Karen Russell suggests enjoying writing badly and making peace with editing or throwing out most of your draft later.

Some of the takeaways from all these routines can be summed up. Physically pushing yourself is worth the effort. Move from your desk and keep your body active. Doing the important stuff (writing) is also a theme you see. The first thing the people do is write, instead of jumping into other activities and fitting it in. Embracing your struggle bus is another theme to think about. Do the hard work of editing.

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