Here’s What I’ve Learned From Writing Every Day
Here’s what I’ve learned from writing every day, since the beginning of this year.
It’s challenging – and it’s meant to be
Some days I just don’t feel like writing.
I’ll sit and stare blankly at my laptop for an hour, and nothing will flow. I won’t feel inspired or motivated to write about anything. And I really want to call it a day and pick things up tomorrow.
And there was a time when that’s exactly what I would do.
But not anymore.
Now, I make sure I keep sitting there until I write something. Anything.
I made a commitment to myself to write every weekday, so that’s what I do.
Sometimes it’s really challenging, because the words feel forced, and I’m not totally happy with the results. But that’s okay.
I give myself permission to write things that I don’t think are my best work. Because I know that the act of showing up and writing every day is making me a stronger writer in the long run. And being a writer is all about the long game.
I can be a better writer than I ever thought I could be
What I’ve learned from writing every day is I’m a better writer than I used to think I was. And this is because writing every day has given me more confidence and belief in myself.
I used to read other people’s articles and poems, and wonder if my writing would ever get to the level where it was as good.
Of course, that’s subjective to a certain extent. But I wanted to reach the stage where I would read a random article online in a big publication that I love, and still feel that my writing was right up there, touching shoulders with theirs.
Writing every day has helped me get there.
And writing every day will strengthen your skills in a relatively short space of time.
You’ll often be surprised by the contrast in the writer you were before, and the writer you have grown to be today. You won’t notice as it’s happening, but one day, you’ll stop and think wow, I’ve travelled really far on this journey.
It’s hard to take a writer seriously if they don’t write every day
I look back on the periods of my writing career where I was only writing and publishing articles once or twice a week at most. And I wonder if anyone was taking me seriously as a writer, because I sure as hell wasn’t taking myself seriously.
Truth be told, I didn’t know any better, and I probably wasn’t ready yet. I wasn’t ready to go all in on my writing, and I was probably scared to declare myself as a real writer to the world. Whatever that means.
But the reality is, there are many writers who are writing every day, even if you’re not. They’re taking their craft seriously (but not too seriously). They’re hungry for success. And they’re dedicated to putting in the time and work that it takes to get there.
And they’re much more likely to get there than someone who isn’t as serious or as hungry or as dedicated.
I’m always on the hunt for amazing new writers to join us at She Rose Revolution, and it’s fairly easy to spot the writers who write every day, and the ones who don’t.
You’re either serious and hungry and dedicated, or you’re not. And I don’t think I used to be enough of any of those things.
But I am now.