Day 26 | Daily Dose of learning
This project is inspired by the ‘100-day project’, a challenge consisting of committing to doing an activity everyday for 100 days.
I have decided to write about one thing I learn everyday for the next 30 days. This can be a skill, a deep concept to elaborate on, or a mere life lesson that made me become aware of something I consider relevant.
The decision is based on the belief that “we are what we repeatedly do”, as Valentin Perez put it.
6 steps to a successful writing habit
From the course ‘The Writer's Toolkit: 6 Steps to a Successful Writing Habit’ by Simon Van Booy on Skillshare.
Writing is not merely a gift of few. It is, rather, a skill that can be learnt by many through practice, habits, environment design.
In his Skillshare course, Simon Van Booy shares 6 steps to establishing good writing routines and take on the habit of writing, which, he underlines, can be done by all of us, with each one having his / her own style. Style which you’ll find only by practicing writing. Here are the steps Simon illustrates, together with some notes and a final note from the author.
The 6 steps
Make your own space
Find your medium
Read inspiring works
Set the conditions
Stick to a routine
Sketching to stay inspired
1- Make Your Own Space
This is part of environment design. Having a specific space that you associate with writing is crucial in order to set the habit of writing. It must be a space where you feel safe; where you are with your own thoughts and feel you can express the best.
There will never be a perfect space. Be ok with imperfection; the key thing is to feel at your best in the space you are.
2 - Find Your Medium
Exist in solitude during writing time. The medium can be whatever you want: tablet, laptop, pen and paper. The key is to not feel overwhelmed by it. Choose a medium that does not make you feel absolutely burdened by writing a lot.
Get rid of distractions. Turn off internet connection. Take the time for yourself and enjoy the process. this reminds me of the writing process of Derek Sivers, which he talks about here Deep Dive with Derek Sivers - Life Advice, Writing and Entrepreneurship - YouTube.
3 - Read Inspiring Works
What you're writing is a reflection of what you are reading. Reading works that you like provides you with ideas, inspiration, content learnt. There's nothing wrong with copying or repeating ideas already illustrated by the writers you love.
You will likely write about what you are reading and like reading.
4 - Set the Conditions
Again, environment design. Be aware of how you like the environment around you to be and what makes you feel 'in the zone' of writing. Commit to recreating that type of environment every time you write, as best as possible.
5 - Stick to a Routine
A routine makes it real. Having a writing routine where you are by yourself, with no distractions, and in the environment you want to be, makes writing a serious thing, which is important, especially because routines hold you accountable and if you take it seriously the people around you will help you succeed.
6 - Sketching to Stay Inspired
Sketching refers to the habit of writing (in this case) in order to practice, keep sources of inspiration coming and become better. Sketching can be done from any object. Simon points at how he takes pictures of places he finds interesting and knows will use later on. And he writes about them, as well as other objects, on a sketch book. Sketching does not need to be fancy.
Please, Please read this... (by Simon Van Booy)
What's very important to realize, especially at this time--is that the only thing you need to write great fiction is the person staring back at you in the mirror. Look at that person, believe in that person; every journey starts with a leap of faith into the unknown. Even I feel anxious about writing, even after 13 books--but the urge to do it has to be stronger than the fear of failure. In my opinion, when your fingers hit the keys, or the pen touches paper--you've won in a very deep way.
We spend an enormous amount of time telling ourselves why it's not going to work. Coming up with reasons why it's too hard, or that we're not ready.
But once you see writing as something you MUST do, like getting up and going to work, or using the restroom when you're in the middle of something. Once you make this mental leap to a MUST instead of a WANT, and decide that writing a story is something that you absolutely have to do, then get excited because it's going to happen. There is nothing else in your way.
Maybe jot down a sentence right now, or perhaps the name of the street where the story takes place. These easy first steps will help you make the first stroke upon the canvas. And remember--there are no such things as mistakes. Every step will take you to the next.
The first draft might not be a good story. My first drafts are all terrible, shameful, horrible things. But it's a start and that's what counts. You can't get something from nothing. But from a first draft--even a page, even a paragraph, you can build and build until you have a piece of writing that's superb and that you can read aloud and be pleased with, or perhaps something you can use to start building a longer piece--such as a novel.
Remember, writing is not easy. The most exciting part sometimes comes after the most boring part--laying down a first draft.
It is rather like building a house.
If you are like many people, then it's the decorating that's really the fun part. But for most of the construction, it's a messy, ugly process, and everything feels like it's going wrong. If this is how writing feels to you, then that's a really good sign, because it means you're trying to wrestle out something completely amazing. You're trying to create something new and original in the world. Bravo!
At this point you have a decision to make. You can be someone who gives up, or someone who keeps going. Relentless people are those who come up with cures for elusive diseases, invent brilliant machines, and make huge contributions to society through the medium which feels most natural to them. If you don't believe me, ask anyone who is massively successful, and they'll list (probably with great enjoyment) the many times they have failed in their attempts to do something great.
The sooner you get used to feeling like you've failed, the sooner you can channel that energy back into your work.
As for the image of me in Paris with a camera, this was a time in in my life when I couldn't sell a story, or a book, or anything. I might look confident, but I was freaking out. On that trip I doubted everything I thought I knew. But I kept writing because I had stories to tell. Your 'will' can be stronger than fear, so trust yourself. It reminds me of the musicians who played while the Titanic was sinking. They did what they loved right up to the end.
If you want to write a story. Just start. Get a few words down, a paragraph, a page, anything. Then just keep going back to it. Be relentless. Remember also to read books only that inspire you. Don't think about becoming a writer, write yourself into one.
Then just write and write, and don't let fear hold you back. Write the sort of story that you would LOVE to read. There is nothing in your way now except the obstacles you have imagined, but which don't exist outside your mind.
Let this weird time be the season you take control of your work, and break the old habits that are holding you back.
You friend, as always, through good times and bad,
Simon