Healthy Habits For Writers Pt. 2

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Introduction

The work of an author is hard. Writing for long periods of time, having a hundred different ideas on your head and trying to work through all of them, dealing with perfectionism…

People overlook the effort it takes to work on something creative. A lot of them think creators and/or artists wake up every day with a fresh idea clearly designed in their heads and are able to put it into practice in a matter of a couple of hours. And then: voila, the work is done!

And, us, creative peeps, know it is nothing like that! Working with creation is tiring, time-consuming, and stressful at times, but also very rewarding. So, to help guide you through the process, and following up on last week’s blog post, here are more healthy habits for writers.

5- Understand That First Drafts Are Not Always Good

In essence, most writers tend to struggle with perfectionism. These unrealistic expectations can lead to stress, feelings of overwhelm and burnout, and even writer’s block. I am a perfectionist myself (even though I have been working on that and getting better), so I know it’s one of those things that are easier said than done.

What you have to understand (and that I have been trying to come to terms with) is that it is very bad for you and for your work. For authors, trying to make your first draft perfect is a waste of time and effort. Read that again and let it sink. The reason I say that? It is very unlikely that your first draft will be great, and that is okay. This does not mean you are a bad writer or that there is something wrong with you.

A lot goes between your first and final draft. Editing, re-writing, proofreading… This cycle repeats itself from the moment you start writing your draft to the moment it is ready to be published. Look at it like this: in each of those phases, your work becomes better and better, so do not stress out if your first draft is not the flawless masterpiece you were hoping it to be.

That’s where you see what works and what doesn’t, get new ideas, and essentially the first times you put your ideas on paper. First drafts are an essential part of the process, they help in your writing journey and there is no way to avoid it, so allow it to help you and take advantage of it.

6- Take Breaks

Believe it or not, breaks are good for creativity. Sometimes we work on autopilot but everyone needs a break. Even machines need to be turned off from time to time. So, it just makes sense that you and your brain have some rest too.

It is nearly impossible to write for 6-8 hours in a row, and nor is it healthy. The solution is to balance your works with breaks that do not involve writing activities. It is good to free your mind once in a while, otherwise, you can end up having writer’s block (read this blog post to learn how to fix that).

I will lead by example and tell you my trick. When I started interning in college, it was very difficult for me to take breaks. I wanted to get everything done as soon as possible and this was not always (being honest, it rarely was) the best option. The solution I found was to set up alarms on my phone that reminded and forced me to take those breaks.

Not all of your breaks need to be long. Something as simple as getting a glass of water, making coffee, or going to the bathroom to wash your face can be productive and take your mind out of work at the same time.

7- Read Like A Writer

Let me tell you another personal story. I have a minor in advertising and when I started taking those courses in college, I realized that I became a critic of everything I saw. From outdoors on the street to TV commercials, I am always (and most of the time unconsciously) criticizing ads. I can’t turn it off.

As a writer, you probably suffer from the same problem. You read other people’s works and your brain is already processing that information differently from other “normal” people. But this is good! By reading like a writer, you are unconsciously processing information in your brain and learning from other people’s mistakes and accomplishments.