I've been thinking a lot about "writing rhythms" since the workshop I hosted on the topic last week with Nicki Pappas.
As many of you know, I'm really big on this concept of establishing writing rhythms versus writing routines after hearing about this differentiation from author, Jon Acuff.
The general idea is that routines can appear rigid; missing an action that's part of a routine can feel deserving of a punitive measure, but missing an action that's part of a rhythm can feel like simply going with the natural flow.
Things come up. Life gets in the way. The unexpected arises. This is all inevitable.
Creating rhythms allows for this natural ebb and flow.
In other words... I write. It's part of my daily rhythms.
But, if I miss out on planned writing time, I am now far gentler with myself because of this idea. Even the word - rhythm - feels softer to me.
So, what are things we can do to establish (and then change whenever we want!) our writing rhythms?
Take a few of these components into consideration:
Environment (your physical location, sound, atmosphere)
Tools (yes, pen and paper but what about some prompts or your favorite cup of tea?)
Time (of day, length of time)
Boundaries (for yourself and for others to protect this space)
Accountability (from a family member, friend, another writer or a writing group)
Some of us thrive on structure. Writing for 20 minutes every day at 5am without exception may be helpful for you.
But, for the rest of us, let's be kind to ourselves and try a little exploration and experimentation.
This week, I invite you to think about what’s going well when it comes to your writing rhythms. What do you want to change or try?
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