What Are The Day-To-Day Activities In A Writer’s Life?

Life as a writer may look like a fairy tale dream as they romanticize their life a lot. In reality, it is more complex, but they make it look so simple. Here I would like to share the essential activities in a writer’s life.

Bread And Butter: I am leaving out sleeping, eating, bathing, or anything an average human would do to survive on earth. Before pursuing your career in writing, the first thing you need to sort out is a way to earn your bread and butter. It could be from an inheritance, a 9-5 job, grants, fellowship, or business. If you could get a job related to writing, it would be good. You will have significant stress relief when you have the money in your account. It lets you concentrate on your writing and also helps you buy books, online courses, and apps. Invest wisely in writing-related areas which will help you in the long run. 

Reading A Lot: Everyone knows that reading and writing go hand in hand. There is no good writer who doesn’t read. It enables you to learn how different people communicate with a larger audience. Apart from observing the writing style, you also learn about varied topics. There is no particular field a writer should know more about. In reality, you should know about everything the world knows so that your writing can cover a larger audience. And you too will have more confidence when you have read a lot. So reading is an inevitable part of life. I suggest you read for half an hour daily in the morning and night. Speed reading helps you a lot.

Maintaining A Journal: Keep a journal. Morning pages are a must(I will discuss them in another post). Whenever you get an idea, just jot it down in your notepad. Similarly, some experiences may have a significant influence on you. Instead of letting your brain store everything, note each incident that has an impact. Before you go to sleep, write down today’s happenings so you can refer to it some other day. Having a to-do list also helps you manage your day-to-day activities. Most of the things you write in the journal are rubbish. But it helps a lot in organizing life and finding out your mistakes.

Learning: You may wonder why I have separated writing from understanding. There are many ways to learn. Unless you take note of what you read and apply it to daily life, it doesn’t turn into learning. Though you may read as a writer, tutorials on the internet help you grow. Stay updated on the changing trends of the world. Give your mind enough time to process what you have, read, experienced, and seen in day-to-day life. One good thing is our brain is efficient enough to process or store information safely for future use. Just help it recollect and munch on the ideas for some time. You can brainstorm ideas during this phase of the day.

Real-Life Experiences: The biggest disadvantage of a writer is they are not sociable. Often they are introverts, bookworms, or nerds(sorry, guys). But to be a good writer, you need to know what life is. Take some time to talk to your family, friends, or even strangers. You may write one poem after reading fifty books. But a touching or hurting incident will help you write a hundred poems or stories. Walk out, feel the air, and watch the sky and the leaves to improve your creative mind. You should also know that a creative mind and imagination are two different things. There is a thin barrier between the two. Always do activities that will trigger your creative mind( doesn’t mean you can take drugs!)

Looking For Opportunities: After doing all these and imagining yourself as a great writer doesn’t make you a writer. Keep looking for opportunities where you can submit your written art. Magazines, anthologies, and, if possible, write a book. If you can monetize it, it is well and good. But it’s good to concentrate on art rather than money, as it will automatically come when you are good at writing. Keep a social media account, blog, or website where you can post all you write. You can monetize them too! It can also act as a place where you can look back and see how you evolve.

Writing: Without writing, nothing is going to happen. Even if you are not submitting your poem or story, even if you do not have any ideas to write down, even during writer’s block – just write. Assign some time for writing. Choose early morning or night or whenever you feel comfortable writing and scribbling something. Consistency is the key to becoming a better writer. Before starting to write, decide the topic or genre, you are choosing. It can be fiction or non-fiction. Or poetry or a short story. Let your heart determine the way.

Staying Updated: Subscribe to good youtube channels, read magazines, browse your favorite topics and keep yourself updated about your field. The world has shrunk into our tiny smartphones. So if you wish to stay in the race, it is better to know more about what’s happening worldwide. Compete with yourself and try to be better than what you were yesterday. 

Now everything may look easy, but it’s not. Keep trying,
and don’t lose heart. There is nothing wrong if you are not going to become a writer. Be happy that you tried.