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The Power of a Writing Routine: 9 Habits for Writing Success

March 10, 2023 | 4 min read
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ByΒ Jessica Majewski

Writing is a challenging task, especially when you're trying to do it consistently. However, establishing a writing routine can have a significant impact on your writing success.

In this article, we'll explore the power of a writing routine and how to establish habits for writing success.

1. Understanding the Power of a Writing Routine

A writing routine is a set of habits that you adopt to make writing a consistent part of your life. It can be as simple as setting aside a specific time each day to write, or it can be a more complex set of habits that includes research, planning, and editing.

The benefits of a writing routine are numerous, but the most significant is consistency. Consistency is key to making progress in anything you do, and writing is no exception. When you consistently write, you're able to create a body of work that you can be proud of.

2. Establishing a Writing Routine

Creating a writing routine is relatively simple, but sticking to it can be challenging. To establish a writing routine, start by setting aside a specific time each day to write.

It's important to make this time non-negotiable, meaning you don't let anything else get in the way of it.

Next, create a list of tasks that you need to complete before you start writing, such as research or planning. Finally, make sure to be flexible. Your writing routine should be adaptable to your life, not the other way around.

3. The Importance of Self-Care

Self-care is an essential part of being a writer. Writing can be a demanding task, both physically and mentally.

When you're not taking care of yourself, it can be difficult to focus on your writing. Taking care of yourself is not only important for your physical and mental well-being, but it also helps you to produce better writing.

Make sure to schedule time for yourself, whether it's going for a walk, practicing yoga or meditation, or just taking a few minutes to relax.

It's essential to take care of yourself so that you can take care of your writing.

4. The Importance of Learning

Learning is an ongoing process and is essential for writing success. As a writer, you should be constantly learning new things to improve your writing skills. This can be learning about the craft of writing, such as grammar, structure, and style, or learning about the world around you so that you can write about it.

There are many ways to continue learning and improving as a writer. Some good options include taking a class, joining a writing group, or reading books on the craft of writing.

Additionally, you should also be reading widely, whether it's fiction, non-fiction, or poetry. Reading is a great way to improve your vocabulary, understand structure, and learn about style.

5. Overcoming Common Challenges

Maintaining a writing routine can be challenging, but there are strategies to overcome common obstacles. Writer's block and procrastination are two of the most common challenges that writers face.

  • To overcome writer's block, try brainstorming or freewriting to generate new ideas.
  • To overcome procrastination, try breaking your writing task into smaller, more manageable chunks.

Writing tools like those from FreewriteΒ can help you get started and stay in the zone with distraction-free writing. No emails, Facebook, or Youtube, just the bliss of writing.

Staying motivated and focused is essential to maintaining your writing routine. Set goals, reward yourself for meeting them, and surround yourself with supportive people.

6. Measuring Writing Success

Measuring writing success can be difficult, but it's essential to know if you're making progress. There are many ways to measure writing success, such as word count, finished pieces, or even just the feeling of accomplishment.

A writing routine can lead to measurable progress, such as an increase in word count or the number of finished pieces. To set and achieve writing goals, break them down into smaller, more manageable tasks and reward yourself for meeting them.

7. Building a Support System

Establishing connections with other writers can be a great way to stay motivated and improve your writing.

Joining a writing group or workshop can be a great way to get feedback on your work, learn from other writers, and establish a sense of community.

8. Staying Organized

Writing can be overwhelming, especially when you're dealing with research, notes, and ideas. Staying organized is essential to making progress in writing.

Many tools and software, such as Evernote or Scrivener, can help you keep track of your research, notes, and ideas.

9. The Importance of Reading

Reading is an essential part of being a writer. Reading helps you improve your vocabulary, understand structure, and learn about style. It's also a great way to stay inspired and motivated.

When you're reading, you're exposed to new ideas, perspectives, and ways of telling stories.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a writing routine is a powerful tool for achieving writing success. It provides consistency, which is key to making progress in anything you do. By establishing a writing routine, overcoming common challenges, and measuring writing success, you'll be well on your way to achieving your writing goals.

Remember, writing is a challenging task, but with a little discipline and perseverance, you can make it a consistent part of your life and achieve success as a writer.

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Author Jessica Majewski

Jessica Majewski is the editor-in-chief at whenyouwrite.com. Her journey began as an avid book reader, but after reading one too many romance novels, she decided to jump to the other side and started writing her own stories.

With her passion for literature and storytelling, she quickly realized her true calling was in creating her own content.

JessicaΒ shares her experiences in hopes of inspiring more up-and-coming wordsmiths to take the leap and share their own stories with the world. As a writer, publisher, and editor, she is dedicated to providing a platform for new and established voices in the literary world.

November 21, 2025 4 min read

For the release of Sailfish, our new firmware update for Smart Typewriter Gen3 and Traveler, we created a brand-new boot-up animation to surprise and delight our writers.

We worked with talented Danish animatorΒ Mathias Lynge to bring our experience of the writer's journey to life.

We had a blast visualizing the writer's journey in this new way. Our engineers also had a blast (or something less than a blast)Β figuring out how to adjust this fun, playful animation to E Ink's very tricky specifications. Hello, refresh rate woes! But we think the result is pretty fun.

"The little animation made my day when I noticed. I love a good flourish."

- Freewrite user

The process of creating this animation was long and full of Zoom calls where we deeply discussed the writing process. We were struck through those conversations by how much overlap there is in creative processes of all disciplines.

So we sat down to chat with Mathias about his creative process and what it's like being a full-time animator.

ANNIE COSBY: Let's start with the basics. What kind of art do you make?

MATHIAS LYNGE: I'm a 2D animator and motion designer working freelance with a wide range of clients.Β The style varies depending on the project, but it’s usually either a hand-drawn look animated frame-by-frame on a drawing tablet, or a more digital, vectorized look made in After Effects.

While much of what I do is commercial work, I try to keep up with my own passion projects as well. That could be a 10-second Instagram loop of a nature scene, or an interesting character design I’ve sketched down with a pencil. It’s there that I get to sharpen my skills and try out new techniques, which often find their way into later client projects.

AC: You often share educational content on social media for other artists.Β Are you formally trained, or did you teach yourself?

ML: I’m mostly self-taught. I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until I went to university that I realized drawing could become a career.

When I first heard terms like β€œmotion design” and β€œThe 12 Principles of Animation” I was on a student exchange program at UCSB in California, where I had chosen a class called "Introduction to Animation." It was a big eye-opener for me, and from that point I was hooked.

But it’s mainly been online YouTube tutorials and my existing drawing experience that have taught me what I know.

Now, I have a big presence on social media, where I share my art as well as educational content centered around animation in Adobe After Effects, so I guess you could say that I'm also an animation influencer!

I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until I went to university that I realized drawing could become a career.

AC: That's actually how I first found your work. Do you have any specific artists who inspire you?

ML:In the world of 2D animation, I have a list of personal heroes that inspire me with their unique style: Reece Parker, Ariel Costa a.k.a. BlinkMyBrain, and Tony Babel, to name a few.

I also find a lot of inspiration from illustrators and painters I discover online, on platforms such as Pinterest. Last year I made a sparkling water animation that was heavily inspired by Cornwall-based artist Gordon Hunt. He makes these beautiful nature-inspired pointillist paintings that capture how light hits the ocean using colorful dots of paint. I tried to recreate that effect using After Effects to bring it to life, and it led me to a whole new way of animating within the program.

AC: Where else do you draw inspiration to create your work?

ML: I’m heavily inspired by the nature and cityscapes around me in Copenhagen, and I find that taking long walks through parks or down the streets of my neighborhood really sparks my imagination.

I’ll often carry around a sketchbook to quickly scribble down an idea or a loose sketch of something I find interesting, such as seeing how the light from a lamppost hits the surrounding leaves, or how the wind moves the tree in a certain way.

Then I’ll think to myself, β€œI wonder if I can recreate that motion using a specific technique in After Effects?”

I’m heavily inspired by the nature and cityscapes around me in Copenhagen...

AC: What does your daily routine look like as a full-time artist?

ML:Β It varies a lot, but I’m usually either working hard on a client project or tinkering away with a new animation tutorial for my social media channels.

I love being able to switch between the two, and when I’m going through a client dry spell, I find that staying creative and posting animation-related content helps keep me inspired while also putting things out into the world that may lead to my next client down the road.

AC: What's your #1 piece of advice for animators new to the industry?

ML: Keep experimenting and trying out new techniques. There’s no such thing as running out of creativity, and even though many of the things you try don’t necessarily go anywhere, it’s all experience that adds up and expands your toolbox. It’s a muscle that needs to be worked out regularly.

Plus, you’ll have more awesome animation to choose from when you’re putting together your next showreel or portfolio!

There’s no such thing as running out of creativity...

AC: What's one fun fact about you completely unrelated to animation?

ML:I’m a big sucker for history podcasts, especially if they are about ancient civilizations, such as The History of Rome by Mike Duncan.

I find it fascinating to hear how mankind was able to build such great empires without ever knowing what electricity, cars, or the internet are.

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Follow along on Mathias's creative journey and find his free educational content on Instagram.

To learn more about working together, find him onΒ LinkedIn or visit his website atΒ www.mathiaslynge.com.

Learn more about Sailfish here.

November 19, 2025 3 min read

The E Ink delay is officially dead. Introducing the Freewrite firmware that transforms typing on E Ink once and for all.

October 26, 2025 2 min read

NaNoWriMo has fallen. A band of rebels known as NoNotWriMo has risen to take its place.

Every November, writers around the globe attempt to write 50,000 words in one month. But last year the organization behind the beloved National Novel Writing Month disintegrated.

In 2025, it's more important than ever to support feats of human creativity. So an intrepid group of humans has banded together to face the antagonist of our age.

Join us in the fight against the Modern Prometheus.