As a newer author, I feel a little bit like an amateur giving anyone writing tips. I would be much quicker to point them to a number of writing resources that have been helpful to me, one being Stephen King’s On Writing (and this is, in fact, me still telling you to read that for OUTSTANDING writing advice). Since I do get asked so frequently for tips on how to develop a better writing life, this seemed like a great place to jot down some thoughts to give a much more cohesive answer.

Keep in mind that these tips won’t work for everyone, and I can think of plenty more things I did not list here that work for others. For example, many writers work from outlines. I rarely, if ever, work from an outline. Skylark was written purely chapter by chapter – I had an idea for the general plot of the book, but when it came time to sit down and write, one chapter wrote the next. That has also been my method for Skylark II. With that disclosure out there, here are six habits that have been beneficial for me in improving my writing life.

1. Eat brain foods. This one sounds so simple, but think about it. When you’re sitting on your computer at work or at home, it’s easy to mindlessly munch on a snack. Though I certainly don’t recommend mindless snacking, if you want to munch on something while your brain is lasered in on creating your next work of art, make it something good for you. My favorite writing snack is nuts, along with cheese slices and berries. Also, never sit down with a whole bag or container when you write. Portion out your snack according to the portion suggestion on the bag or container and ONLY stick with that. This will give you enough fuel to keep your mind engaged and to keep you from eating so much that you get sleepy and have to stop writing to nap. Because trust me, I have been there!

2. Skip the caffeine, drink water instead. Let’s face it – artists and caffeine go hand in hand. But they shouldn’t. You may be fooled into thinking that you truly need that caffeine to keep your brain going, to gather all your best ideas. I have actually found that caffeine does the opposite for me. Caffeine can make me frantic, quick to forget, and so focused on completing a task that I don’t pour everything I’ve got into what I’m working on at the moment. Switching caffeine for water has helped me not feel so frantic, and my brain is more willing to stay focused on the task at hand, not the next thing on the list that needs to be done. My only cheat is that sometimes at night I will write with a glass of something stronger, like wine or a cocktail, because that does the opposite of caffeine. It loosens my mind and helps the words flow freely. But generally, if I know I am going to be sitting down for a while to write, I stick with water.

3. No phone after 5:00pm. Let’s face it – writer’s don’t write every night. In fact, it sometimes feels writers make less of a habit out of writing and only pick it up when inspiration strikes. That looks different for every writer. For me I write outside of work hours, which is anywhere after 5:00pm. If there is a night that I plan on busting out a couple pages or an entire chapter, I will implement a ‘no phone after 5:00’ rule for myself. No, this isn’t strict, I don’t lock my phone away in a glass box and tell my husband to hide the key. Instead I tell myself I will only look at it if it’s a message of some kind. Overall, for me this is a way of setting a boundary that I will not mindlessly scroll social media, even if that is all I feel like doing. Ten times out of ten, after I’ve written what I want for the night, I never regret leaving my phone upstairs, and I feel accomplished with my work.

4. Yes to off days. I find it’s also true that some writers will work themselves to the bone to complete a piece, which can mean working days on end with less satisfaction in their work. As I’ve mentioned before, every writer is different, but I operate best when I intentionally take off days. While I am working on a novel, I will set two-three days a week as days I know I will set aside to do other things I enjoy, like reading, taking my dogs somewhere fun, or spending time with friends. This eliminates that deadline mentality, and overall creates a more balanced life that can also produce great writing.

5. Take breaks that involve going outside. Taking a mental break is one thing, but taking a break from your writing environment is also super important. One of the things I love most about having multiple dogs is the excuse to get out and walk two times a day. They give me a reason to get out in the sun, clear my mind, and think about other things. Not only that, but I also get the opportunity to stretch my legs and not stay curled up in my office chair. Being outside and getting any sort of physical activity does wonders for the brain!

6. READ! Read, read, read – it is paramount to a healthy writing life. By reading you learn what works and doesn’t work in a plot, what tropes or character arcs you do or do not prefer, how to create dialogue that won’t make you cringe. Everything I have learned about being a good, intentional writer has come from reading 30-50 books a year. I’m crazy and read a lot, and I would never tell anyone they had to read that much in a year, but reading lots of books has opened my eyes to what good writing looks like. If you want to become a good writer, you will explore other writings to see what counts as good writing.

You’ll notice that all six of these tips involve one thing – intentionality. Going out of your way to form habits that lead to better writing takes a whole lot of self-control, but that is ultimately what creates the greatest art. There may be many trial and error moments as you work on hammering out good habits, but it is always, ALWAYS worth it in the end when you can read something you wrote and say, “I’m proud of myself and my work”.