Create the best time, place, and schedule to write persistently.
Tip #1 Create a Quiet Environment
To create a no-nonsense space for writing, you must find a comfortable and secluded environment free of distractions. John Grisham, author of (A Time To Kill, The Firm) writes on an outdated word processor in a shed separated from his home. His area is always free of phones, computers, and even family members. If you cannot find a separate place away from distractions, you can at least minimize them by closing the door, unplugging the telephone, and letting your family know to respect your allotted time.
Tip #2 Set up a Writing Time
Science fiction author Joe Haldeman (The Forever War, Worlds Enough and Time) writes regularly in the early morning from 4 AM-7 AM before heading off to teach at a university. Everyone’s biological clock works differently so you have to find what works best and stick with it. If you have a 9-5 like most people, decide if it’s best to write before heading off to work or when the kids have gone to bed.
Tip #3 Stick to a Daily Schedule
Even if you cannot write a single word for the entire hour you’ve allocated, don’t worry because it happens to everyone. The reason why many writers will endure it is because it sets up the space for creativity. Their mind and bodies become accustomed to preparing for writing at that specified time everyday and eventually, the creative energy will flow. If you find that after some time, the creativity doesn’t come so easily, perhaps try changing to another time or location.
Tip #4 Avoid Writer’s Block
To avoid staring at a blank screen, you can instead refocus your energy and do some research for your story. In many cases, the research you do will springboard you towards a new scene you never thought of previously. If you’re stopping yourself because you’re afraid of writing a bad scene, tell yourself that you're going to write the worst scene possible and go ahead with a few terrible pages. You’ll beat it out of your system and it will help you move on to the next scene. You can always return to rewrite it properly later.
Tip #5 Track Your Progress
A good way to fulfill that at the end of each session is to count the number of pages you’ve written. If you find that you can average 3 pages an hour, then you’ll strive to push yourself to reach that goal that at every session. It’ll also help you to move forward with your day with feeling a sense of accomplishment for meeting your daily quota.
Tip #6 Celebrate Milestones
Create milestones in your writing and celebrate them as you go along. You can celebrate instances such as reaching your first 100 pages, completion of the first draft, and the final rewrite. You should enjoy and celebrate your progress as much as possible to remind yourself that you are one step closer to completion.
