You’re trying to get your book done, but it’s not done yet. What’s going on? Well, welcome to my series on the seven deadly sins that impact our ability to get our book done. Sin number four is not making writing a habit. A few years ago, I started a habit. I made my bed every day. It doesn’t matter where I am, what I’m doing, or what’s going on, my bed is made every day. This includes when I travel, and I am on the road a lot. I imagine it’s probably a little bit of a surprise to some of the housekeeping staff when they come into my hotel room and they see that my bed is perfectly made, waiting for me at night. It’s become such a habit, I don’t think about it anymore. I just do it, just like brushing my teeth, taking a shower and making my bed.

Make It A Habit

Writing is the same way. You have to make writing a habit. Now, maybe it’s not a daily habit, maybe it’s a weekend habit, maybe it’s an evening habit, but make it something consistent. I like to carve out two hours, four days a week. That is my writing time. It’s a habit and I don’t let something else come in the way of that. I have the time blocked off and it’s my time to get my words down. I have word count goals that I follow, and again, I don’t think about it anymore. It’s not like I’m trying to make room in my calendar for some writing because the writing is automatically there. It’s a habit.

So if you’re trying to write a book and you do a little bit here, or do a little bit there, or God forbid you say, “Oh, I’ll write my book when I have more time,” I hate to break it to you, but your book will never get done if that’s your philosophy. Make writing a habit. Make it a daily habit or an every other day habit, but make it a consistent habit that you don’t even have to think about.

I’m Belinda Goodrich of Goodrich Publishing, and I’m here to help you get your book done. I want your book in your hands and in your readers’ hands. So let’s get writing and make writing a habit.