Consistencey & Flexibility
One of my biggest struggles with writing has always been consistency. I first started writing as a kid and did it for fun. I hid my writing in little notebooks that I never expected to show anybody and only wrote when inspiration hit. As I got older and started dreaming about publishing, writing still only happened on a whim. It didn’t really occur to me that I should have a regular writing routine or to schedule it into my day. Mostly I managed to get things done because of submission deadlines. Even after I started taking on writing jobs, I was always racing at the last minute to get my work done on time. While that works on occasion, it’s just not sustainable.
Not only did it take too long to really grasp how powerful consistent habits can be, but it seems to be a lesson I learn again and again. Over the last couple years I’ve managed long stretches of time maintaining a consistent writing practice. As happens in life, something will eventually disrupt my regular routine or schedule and that consistency falters too easily. In the periods between, writing tends to feel harder and like I’m not making any progress forward. It always surprises me how much easier and faster I write once I get back into a regular routine. I tell myself I need to stick to it, but something always comes up.
On the other hand, I’ve learned that being too strict can also be a problem. One of my most self-destructive tendencies is having an all or nothing attitude. I’d often give up completely on plans I made for writing if they didn’t go exactly how I wanted. If I missed one scheduled writing session in a week, the week was ruined and there was no point in sticking with it. I always thought, next week I’ll have a fresh start and be perfect.
Perfection isn’t actually possible so instead I needed to be flexible. Most of life does not go as planned and giving up every time things go sideways is an easy way to never get anything done. Instead of tossing the plan aside or not making plans at all, I’ve learned to adjust for the random disruptions. Being flexible has also helped through periods where I didn’t think I had the time for writing. Instead of waiting for large blocks of time to write, I fit it in when I could. For some time, I assumed anything less than an hour wasn’t worth the effort. But short sprints can still move your forward. Especially, if they’re consistent.