 Noticing Newbies: November 15, 2023 Issue [#12279] |
This week: A Daily Writing Habit Edited by: Jeff  
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"You never know what you can do until you try,
and very few try unless they have to."
-- C.S. Lewis
About The Editor: Greetings! My name is Jeff and I'm one of your regular editors for the Noticing Newbies Official Newsletter! I've been a member of Writing.com since 2003, and have edited more than 400 newsletters across the site during that time. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me via email or the handy feedback field at the bottom of this newsletter! 
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A Daily Writing Habit
During this year's NaNoWriMo, one of the things that I've really come to appreciate (so far) is the routine of a daily writing habit. While I fully admit there are people who can develop habits other than at daily intervals, that's just never worked for me. If I go a day or two without writing, it's easy for me to go three days. Then four. Then, before I know it, I haven't written anything in weeks, or maybe months. Smaller, more incremental daily goals are easier for me to develop into a habit, and this year's NaNoWriMo is the first time in a long time that I've sustained a daily writing habit for more than a few days at a time.
If you're having a hard time accomplishing your writing output goals, have you considered making it a daily habit? In my experience, the key to successfully doing that is setting a habit that's easily achievable so you don't get discouraged by missing it. For example, Stephen King often touts that he writes 2,000 words a day, rain or shine. Which is great for, you know, a professional author who doesn't have a day job or little kids running around. For someone who is writing in their spare time between a full time career to pay the bills and family obligations, that might not be a realistic goal on a daily basis because, even accomplished authors who write fast might find the amount of time it takes to write 2,000 words takes up more than an hour... and there are days where we just don't have an hour to spare.
A more incremental habit, on the other hand... say 500 words, or 250 words, or even 100 words... that's the kind of thing you can accomplish even on a bad day. On a day where you get into bed at night and realize you never took the time to write, it's something that you can sit up in bed and crank out in a few minutes and get the satisfaction of knowing that you hit your writing goal for that day without having to stay up for hours.
If you're the kind of person who can maintain a habit with a less-than-daily habit, that's great (and I'm a little jealous, TBH!)... but if you're like me where missed days usually lead to more missed days which ultimately culminate in a complete lack of accomplishing your goals at all... consider taking up a daily writing habit that's measurable and easy to accomplish when you're at your worst.
NaNoWriMo is unusual in that the output is much higher than I would be able to sustain on a daily basis throughout the year, but I'm definitely going to take this opportunity as a springboard to continue a daily writing habit into December (and hopefully the new year), albeit with fewer daily words to make it more manageable.
Until next time,
Jeff
If you're interested in checking out my work:
"New & Noteworthy Things" | "Blogocentric Formulations"
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This month's official Writing.com writing contest is:
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EXCERPT: The young Guardians stood at attention in groups of nine, listening intently as their Acolyte Guardian detailed their first mission as official Initiate Guardians. They remained unflinching, pelted by icy snowflakes as the wind whipped it around and around them. This is what they had spent the last four years training for--to be one with nature as they learned to read the lands that provided for them and maintain the balances of life. So, amidst the snowstorm, they stood, breathing in air so cold that the tip of Nyx's nose had begun to go numb. A strand of candy pink hair had escaped the braid that hung down her back, swirling distractedly around her face. She resisted the urge to break form and tuck the rogue hair back into place as AG Harmony's voice, amplified with a simple charm, rang out loud and clear across the field so all 36 Initiates could hear.
EXCERPT: Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Lily who lived in a small village. She was a curious and adventurous girl, and she loved to explore the woods near her home.
One day, while Lily was exploring the woods, she came across a mysterious box. The box was old and made of wood, and it had a strange symbol carved into the top. Lily had never seen anything like it before.
She picked up the box and examined it closely. It was locked, but Lily was determined to open it. She tried everything she could think of, but she couldn't get the box open.
EXCERPT: Located just on the southwestern shores of the beautiful Lake Garda in Italy is the pristinely gorgeous town called Densenzano del Garda. Found in the beautiful lakefront promenade Lombardy region, Densenzano del Garda is full of charming architecture and rich history. Furthermore, I can't fail to mention that this town is an ideal tourist attraction for various reasons. For one, it is only fair to mention a few, like the medieval fortress, spectacular beaches, and the ancient Roman villa. If you are searching for an ideal tourist destination with an ideal base for exploring nearby charming towns, I recommend visiting Densenzano del Garda. But is this all? Definitely not. There are many things to see, sights and sounds to experience, and more. That's why you have to continue reading this guide.
EXCERPT: Joe had always been passionate about football. Since he was a kid, he would spend hours practicing and perfecting his technique, dreaming of one day making it to the big leagues. After an impressive college career, Joe had high hopes of getting drafted, but when the NFL draft came and went, Joe found himself without a team. He was undeterred, however, and set his sights on becoming a free agent. It wasn't easy - in fact, it was a grueling five seasons of trying to make it in the NFL as a free agent. Joe had to work harder than ever before, pushing himself to the limits just to keep up with the more experienced players around him. But finally, after years of hard work and dedication, Joe got the break he'd been waiting for. The best team in the NFL had taken notice of his talent and offered him a spot on the team as a third string center.
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