Pumping Keystrokes

Now that I’ve survived a jam-packed week full of deadlines and stressors, I can take a break and look at a blank screen. But what’s a guy to write about when his brain’s turned to mush? Today, we talk about the sacred habit of writing.

Nearly every time I’ve sat in on a writing workshop or taken a writing class in college or grad school, the expert is asked her top advice for aspiring writers. Without hesitation, it’s always the same: “Writers write. Make a habit to write each day. Sit in your chair and write. Give yourself a daily word count and write each day.”

Not one to listen to convention for the sake of listening to convention, I’ve tried to avoid this advice for much of my own writing career. It just seemed too generic. After all, where’s the fun in following the crowd. As I’ve now given myself a weekly challenge of completing a blog post, though, I’ve got to give credit to those many writing gurus who apparently were onto something.

In a few hours, I’ve got a blog post to publish (usually before I start the workday on Mondays). The thought occurred to me that I’ve earned the right to take a week off. After all, it was a really busy, super-productive week. Then comes an urge that should be familiar to many body builders–the urge to push oneself through that same painful-though-rewarding routine that has been imprinted on one’s brain.

Since I like to plug books, now would be the time to mention James Clear’s Atomic Habits (which was part of the infamous reading list I’m trying to complete). Clear uses a lot of fascinating research to address the importance of establishing small, achievable habits that will culminate into a more successful life filled with targeted achievement.

I may not necessarily write creatively every day, but I do feel the rewired urge to produce a blog post each week. That’s progress. What does your creative process look like? Do you find yourself creating regularly, or do you have difficulty getting started? For the longest time, I’ve languished away, staring at a blank screen and wondering what was wrong with me. In retrospect, it seems that the only thing wrong was my hesitancy to get started.

Write today. Create today. It’s time to start pumping keystrokes. Your voice has value and the world needs to hear it.

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