maintaining a writing routine | interview with Bethany (part 2)

Welcome! I’m so glad you’re here, and I look forward to today’s post.

A couple of weeks ago, I shared an interview post that I did with my friend Bethany. This is Part Two of that interview! (I noticed how we talked both about starting and maintaining a writing routine, so I decided to reorganize things a tad and give you two special posts. 🙂 )

If you haven’t read part one, I strongly recommend it! Bethany shared some great tips on starting up a reasonable writing routine. 😀

In this post, Bethany and I discuss how to maintain a writing routine. These tips may even help you revive a routine that you have!

maintaining a writing routine

So, you’ve either started a routine, are losing a routine, or want to make sure you don’t lose a routine. But… how?

I asked Bethany a few questions on some aspects of writing routine maintenance. 🙂

tracking progress

Vonnie: Would you suggest writing down a plan and keeping track of your progress?

Bethany: Yes, I think tracking your progress is great if you want to do it. It shows you just how far you’ve come, which can motivate you to go even farther. And you don’t have to track word count if that is too challenging. You could track pages, minutes, or anything else you want to track.
Writing down a plan can be very helpful when you start out. You could even set a little challenge for yourself to write consistently for a certain length of time (maybe a month) and plan a reward for when you complete it. Also, write down why you want to write consistently.

Vonnie: Sounds great!! 
Personally, because of school, I would have to carve an afternoon slot for writing. If you’re still in school (public, private, or home), write as you eat an afternoon snack. 😀
Something I would like to point out: be okay with missing a couple days, here and there, while establishing this habit. 
With lots of recent travel and everyday commitments, I haven’t been consistently writing. But I’ve still been able to manage great progress in blogging and story-writing.
If you want to set aside some time and write hard, Allyson Jamison wrote a really neat post about Writing retreats! I gave myself one recently, and got a lot of work done! ❤

lack of motivation

Vonnie: If I’m trying to establish a writing routine, and I come to a a short or long period of time where I’m not motivated to write, what would you suggest?

Bethany: I think we can sometimes depend too much on motivation and not enough on habits and routines. You don’t actually have to have motivation to do something! Sometimes we just have to get up and do things (or in this case sit down and do them) even if we don’t feel in the mood. 
This is a good time to look at where you wrote down your reasons for wanting to build a consistent writing routine. 
Remind yourself why you want to write consistently and what your goal is that you are working toward. Instead of just thinking about the few minutes of writing you’re going to do, look at the big picture of what you hope to accomplish. 
Ask the Lord to help you move forward with the task that He has given you to do! Commit to at least sit down and write for 5 minutes. 
If you don’t get into the flow of it at the end of that time you can stop, but more than likely when you start you will find that you are ready to keep going. 
One tip that my sister and I found very helpful in getting momentum was to stop in the middle of a sentence. When you stop writing at the end of a session, leave your last sentence unfinished. That way when you come back, you will be able to get a running start by finishing that sentence, instead of wracking your mind for what to say!

loss of interest

Vonnie: And what would you suggest if someone loses interest in their project? (Whether it be blogging, their story, or even journaling?)

Bethany: I think this can depend on the person or the circumstance. Some people are okay with setting a project aside for a while to let it simmer, while others set projects aside to never pick them up again. 
Which person do you naturally find yourself to be? I probably would fall into the second category, at least in other areas of life. 
If you can set a story or project aside for a time, I think this can be healthy sometimes and actually for the best interest of the project. 
If you know that setting a project aside could mean the slow death of it, don’t. 
If you do need a break, take one with the agreement that you will go back to that project and not a shiny new idea. 
There’s nothing wrong with having multiple projects going, but it is important to not let that turn into never finishing anything. 
There’s nothing wrong with having multiple projects going, but it is important to not let that turn into never finishing anything. On the other hand, if you start something and decide it is not best to continue, then stop by all means. 
Be intentional, instead of just laying aside a project to do “someday.” It is important to be intentional and not let current moods dictate your writing journey.

Vonnie: That makes sense. 🙂 I would need to keep working on a project; I’ve already let too many projects die. I’ve also had to set several ideas aside, because they were simply bad ideas.

bonus!

Think this post was kind of short? Well, I did too! 😉

So, I asked a few writers I know what they did or do to keep writing consistently, either in the moment or long term.

• listen to music you enjoy during or after you work.
• set a time goal, maybe 15 minutes, and then get up to do something you enjoy. Maybe take a walk, take a shower, brainstorm for another project, etc. Try 15 on, 15 off.
• take a shower or wash your face to refresh yourself.
• sit down and write just a few words. See if you can keep going.
• give yourself a reward or a rule; maybe you get to get a cup of cocoa if you write 200 words, or you only have dessert if you write for 20 minutes. This may not work for everyone. `\”-“/`
• remember why you started this project. Why did you get excited about it in the first place?
• make yourself bored. Sound funny? Stare at the blank screen until you get bored enough to write something. Maybe you’ll get going then!
• if things just aren’t coming to you, I suggest taking a break.

As I write this, lots has been going on in my family life. During November I was frantic to write the rest of a Christmas novelette. It got too stressful, so I took a break from story-writing and worked on blogging. 😀 In fact, I let go of the goal to publish that novelette by Christmas, and worked on two other stories.
Don’t be afraid to take a day, a week, or longer off to refocus on Jesus, His Word, and your mission. Our mission as Christians is to take the Gospel to the world; that’s what our writing should be for. 🙂

conclusion

Maintaining a writing routine can be difficult. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible. 🙂 Sometimes, we need to keep trying, approach the issue with a different perspective, or take a break to refresh your mind and sometimes even your heart. ❤

My Mom has helped me a lot with figuring out writing, even though she doesn’t write herself. She’s encouraged me to pray every time before I write, every time I have doubts about continuing, and when I have issues to keep going.

Sometimes you can feel like you’re always in prayer, but that’s not terrible. Be open to what God wants you to do. And remember, don’t be a human doing. Be a human being. If you’re saved by grace, then there is no point in doing works to please God, earn your salvation, or keep your salvation. God loves you as you are, and He wants you doing good works because you want to, and love Him and others around you.

conversation

Have you started a writing routine? When do you write, and for how long? 😀

Do you have any ideas that might be helpful for writing consistently, or when you don’t feel like it?

If you have an accountability partner to help you write, can you share how you found them? Where are some good places to look if someone is looking for an accountability partner to write? 🙂 Example, trustworthy Christian writing groups, friends or siblings who write, elsewhere?

What are some topics for interview posts you’d like to see? Would you want to do an interview post with me? 😀 I’d love to work with you; if you’d like, you can contact me here!

With love and well-wishes of peace from God,

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