Perspiration vs Inspiration
How to Build a Solid Writing Habit
When I’m shopping ideas around to producers or publishers, there’s always a look that I get when I’m done outlining all my grand plans. The look is one of many people use when they have a comment or question they’re too polite to articulate, and this particular one means, “Is this guy gonna actually finish any of this”?
This is understandable, as the number on issue with new writers, industry wide, is that they have a distressing habit of abandoning projects. The biggest hallmark of an experienced writer is a portfolio of finished work, and there’s no way to get this without a consistent writing habit. And while there’s an abundance of fantastic advice out there on how to nurture our creative impulses - what I call the ‘inspiration’ side - practical advice on the nuts and bolts of actually getting it done - the ‘perspiration’ side - can be difficult to find.
Which is why I’d like to share a few tips and mind hacks that I’ve learned - with a fair amount of perspiration - along the way.
The 20 Minute Rule
There’s a popular idea going around that says that if you spend 20 minutes per day on anything, you’ll be in the top 10% of the world in that thing. I don’t know how true that is, but it makes a lot of sense. The key to acquiring or developing any skill or habit is to practice, which isn’t exactly revolutionary advice. I think it’s important in terms of writing, however, largely because of excuses.
The number one excuse I hear is, “I just don’t have the time to write.” Now, I’m not going to hit you with some hustle culture nonsense on this one - I understand that this simple statement covers quite a few things. Many people live noisy, hectic lives filled with children and work and the seemingly endless list of tasks and duties associated with modern life. For many, taking the time to be alone, and therefore away from time we spend on or with other people, feels unrealistically, unpalatably selfish. For many others, it’s not time they lack, but will - and this isn’t to say these people are weak or lazy. It’s just a simple fact that so many of us, by the end of the day, feel like we’re good for nothing but blobbing in front of the TV with a takeaway and a bottle of time. And then there’s the problem of the classic image of creative writing, usually involving someone sitting zen-like under a tree, or alone at a rolltop in the magnificent isolation of a Victorian genius. It’s perfectly understandable to be unable to see how anyone could fit something like that into their lives.
“If you can’t find 20 minutes a day to write, maybe try for 10. If you can’t do 10, try to get 5 minutes in. We might wonder how much writing can possibly be done in 5 minutes, but the answer is simple - it’s 5 minutes more than none.”
What I’d like to suggest here is a bit of flexibility. If you can’t find 20 minutes a day to write, maybe try for 10. If you can’t do 10, try to get 5 minutes in. We might wonder how much writing can possibly be done in 5 minutes, but the answer is simple - it’s 5 minutes more than none. And for those who can’t do every day, then try 5 times, or 2 times, or even once a week. It doesn’t really matter, as habits, once established, tend to snowball, and however small you start, if you keep going, you can confidently expect the habit to grow. One major fear associated with this approach, and one that I hear a lot, is the anxiety around having nothing to write. To this I’d say, it really doesn’t matter what you write in this time - a daily journal, a stream of consciousness, nonsense rhymes, or whatever. Anyone who sits down to write at a certain time for long enough, will find they very quickly train their brain to be ready at that time. And even if you write nothing, it’s important to remember what Arnold Schwarzenegger said about training - just turn up to the gym every day and who knows: one day you might pick up a weight.
It’s equally important to avoid letting perfect get in the way of good. Can’t find quiet space? Try putting in headphones, or simply leaving the house. Can’t get your kids/partner/dog to leave you alone? Tell them what you’re doing, and do it consistently. Eventually, the people you love, and who love you, will get used to your new habit, and will make an effort to support it. Except for the dog, of course, who will probably be with you from the get-go. Are you just totally spent at the end of the day, and unlikely to write anything good? Well, sit down for 10 minutes and write something crap. Remember writing is a voluntary activity, which really can count as leisure or rest in the right circumstances. And as a leisure activity, it’s a fair bit more nourishing than TV or doom scrolling.
Digital Hygiene
The mention of doom scrolling leads me neatly to my second point. Most of us live in a world where it’s possible to get through a whole day, from waking up in the morning to going to sleep at night, without having a single moment alone with our thoughts. This is fatal to anyone who wants to write. Writing, especially creative writing, requires thought and reflection. We have to take in stimulae from the world, from people, from other works of art, and then, crucially, we have to process and internalise them so that we can use them to express our own ideas in our own way. We can’t do this second part if our entire day goes by without a single moment for lone contemplation.
“Digital content is just like food - eating constantly is just as counterproductive for our bodies as incessantly consuming content is for our minds.”
This is where digital hygiene comes in. For so many of us, pretty much all of our “me time” has been invaded by digital sights and sounds. Now, I’m not a Luddite who thinks technology is the root of all evil, but I do know that having even a few minutes a day where I’m not watching a video or listening to a podcast is the most important difference between a day when I’m ready to write, and days when I’m not.
What I’d advocate here is balance and structure. For me, TV and random YouTube rabbit holes are a crucial part of the world inputs that fuel my creative endeavours. But digital content is just like food - eating constantly is just as counterproductive for our bodies as incessantly consuming content is for our minds. And when it comes to writing, there’s no tool more important than the mind. It’s important to make sure there’s some time in every day, even if it’s just half an hour, without headphones or a screen.
I know we all live busy lives, and I’m not suggesting we sit in perfect silence under a Bodhi tree for hours per day. Though if that’s something you can do, I’m hugely envious, and please leave tips for how I might achieve this in the comments. Making mental space can be a simple matter of very small choices. Maybe don’t catch up on your social feeds when eating lunch alone. Maybe leave the earbuds at home when you go for a run. Maybe make one of your commutes a phone free journey. Over time, this digital hygiene discipline will reap great benefits, especially when it comes to establishing a writing habit.
Final Word
Finally, I’d point out that perspiration vs inspiration, while it might make for a catchy title, is actually a false dichotomy. The more we exercise manual skills. the better we are at carving out a structured space in the day for creating, the more we’ll be inspired to use those skills and fill that space.
It’s also important to remember the principle of improvement over perfection. The best way to create lasting change in our behaviours, especially when it comes to positive change, is to make small tweaks and stick with them. Maybe we can just start with a little digital hygiene, or practice clearing 10 minutes every few days in which to jot down notes and impressions or plan a new creative project.
Whatever it might be, why not have a go at implementing a small change? Who knows where it will lead? And if you have tips of your own, be sure to let me know in the comments.
Happy writing!
