Writing regularly is not a complicated endeavor. It involves adhering to straightforward steps with enthusiasm. While it’s simple, it’s not always easy.

In this piece, I’ll provide a practical framework that can aid you in establishing a consistent writing routine. You’ll learn about the specific methods I adopted throughout my three-year writing journey.

But first, let’s establish some credibility to show you that I can genuinely assist you in enhancing your writing consistency.

Who am I to offer advice on consistent writing? When I embarked on my writing journey in 2020, my English and writing abilities were subpar. To accelerate my improvement, I committed to writing one article daily for a month. Following that, I escalated my efforts to writing two articles a day for 20 days. After these intensive writing sprints, I enrolled in a writing course, reflecting on my process and refining my approach.

This cycle of intense writing followed by reflection and adjustment has been repeated about five times. To date, I have published 254 articles.

Occasionally, my writing gained traction, with individual pieces earning over $500. I’ve had months where my earnings exceeded $1,000. My work has been accepted by companies I admire, like GetCheex, an ethical adult content platform. I received $200 from a European Union-supported initiative to share my experiences with corruption in Hungary, and I earned over $1,000 for two freelance articles on sex education. Additionally, I serve as one of the editors for the Writing Accelerator intensive course.

My articles covering sexuality and social issues resonate with readers, garnering numerous comments—some exceeding 80. Over 500,000 people have engaged with my writing.

For more than three years, I have maintained a nearly daily writing practice. With the framework I’m about to share, you’ll gain the theoretical foundation needed for consistent writing, along with actionable steps to implement immediately in each section.

1. Assess Whether Writing Is Right for You Let’s be clear: writing isn’t suitable for everyone.

You might force yourself to maintain a consistent writing routine, but if you don’t genuinely enjoy the process, what’s the point?

Five years ago, I believed I could make a living from art, thinking I would be a dedicated creator if I simply committed to daily drawing. However, I found that drawing was no longer fulfilling for me; it became a hobby I appreciated on rare occasions.

Before dedicating yourself to writing consistently, give it a trial run. It may turn out to be not what you envisioned, and that’s perfectly fine.

For me, writing was a different experience. Launching my online writing career in 2020 was one of the best decisions I made that year—right alongside meeting my partner. I’m passionate about the writing process and the flow states, learning, healing, and personal growth that accompany it.

I’ve been journaling since I was 11, so writing has always felt natural to me. When I write, I experience a profound sense of connection and tranquility.

While I aspire to monetize my writing and help others by building a scalable online business, I understand it may take longer than I hoped. I’m also at peace with the possibility that my writing might not reach the heights I desire. If that happens, I’ll adjust my efforts and write solely for the joy of it. If I don’t succeed in doing what I love, it won’t feel like a failure.

Don't misunderstand me; I don’t always find joy in writing. There are days filled with frustration when I struggle to craft even a couple of sentences, wasting precious hours in front of my computer. Writing can be challenging.

There will always be days filled with doubt. However, if the overall writing process feels draining, it may not be for you. Perhaps you were swept up in the excitement or misled by marketing into believing you need this skill to be deemed successful.

If that resonates with you, consider this your sign.

Writing isn’t the ideal side gig for everyone. Just as not everyone can excel as a teacher, salesperson, or engineer, not everyone can be a writer.

Explore other fields where your talents may shine and where you might find greater fulfillment. You could delve into investing, photography, video production, painting, sports, or any other pursuit that excites you.

But to be a successful blogger, you must enjoy writing.

If your sole motivation to write is the pursuit of money, fame, or virality, and you largely dislike the process, take some time to reflect on your journey. If writing doesn’t feel rewarding, what’s the purpose?

Now, it's your turn: Take a moment to reflect inward and consider the following questions: - When did I start writing, and what prompted me to do so? - Why do I write now? - How does writing make me feel? - Do I genuinely enjoy the writing process? - Do I look forward to my writing sessions? - How would my life be without writing? - When I envision myself three years from now, how do I feel about still being in the same place, perhaps with a slightly larger audience and income, but without a significant breakthrough? - If given the chance to go back in time, would I still choose writing as a side hustle, or would I prefer something like investing, photography, video production, or art?

Grab a piece of paper, your journal, or a note-taking app, and jot down your thoughts.

So, with this newfound awareness, how can you ensure you keep writing, regardless of circumstances? “I only want to hit my targets if the aiming and the hitting both feel good.” — Danielle LaPorte

2. Begin with a Challenge To truly determine if writing is my passion and to enhance my skills, I challenged myself to write one article daily for 30 days. Next, I took on another challenge where I wrote two articles each day for 20 days.

Starting with a challenge allowed me to commit and assess whether I enjoyed the rigorous side of writing itself.

During this time, I didn’t focus on why I was writing; my challenges were straightforward: “Write and publish X articles weekly over the next Y months.”

To keep it engaging, I visualized my progress, ticking off boxes as I moved closer to my goals. This added an element of fun and motivation.

Now it’s your turn: If you're just beginning, writing an excessive number of articles may not be feasible. Over time, you'll become more efficient and set more ambitious goals.

Challenge yourself, but also be gentle with yourself in the early stages. Consider these questions: - How many articles would I like to write, and in what timeframe? - Is it feasible to write that much while working? - What realistic goal can I set that aligns with my current life situation?

Ensure your goal is specific, measurable (e.g., write X articles), achievable, and time-bound (establish a deadline).

Once you successfully complete your challenge, treat yourself to something enjoyable, like a nice dinner or a yoga class.

3. Define Your Why and Create a Vision Your motivation for writing significantly impacts your journey.

Regardless of how passionate you are about writing, if you lack a clear understanding of why you’re doing it, you may abandon it when faced with challenges.

To maintain a consistent writing practice over the long term, it’s essential to have a solid vision that motivates you through difficult times.

My vision is to educate people about sexuality and raise awareness on social issues that matter to me, such as feminism and privilege.

You don’t need a revolutionary vision; even a desire to earn some extra money doing something you love is sufficient. But if you work full-time, your vision should be compelling enough to keep you motivated, even when you’re exhausted from your job.

Your reasons for writing may evolve over time, and that’s perfectly normal. Don’t be afraid if your vision changes as you progress.

Regularly defining and refining my “why” has consistently helped me stay focused and return to my writing practice.

Now it’s your turn: Why do you write? What brings you here? Consider these prompts: - “I write because… This allows me to…” - “The reason I dedicate time to writing daily is that I want to…” - “Through my writing, I can…”

Take your time to contemplate your unique motivation.

4. Eliminate Roadblocks To enhance your planning, consider potential obstacles that might hinder your writing practice.

Roadblocks can range from needing to walk your dog, caregiving duties, a demanding 9-to-5 job, to distractions from a talkative partner or kids.

One of my significant roadblocks was my office job. Even though I had a flexible schedule, meetings sometimes disrupted my plans, leaving me powerless to change that.

When I had morning meetings, I prioritized my writing by waking up earlier to complete my writing tasks before my workday began. Identifying my roadblocks allowed me to devise strategies to work around them.

Now it’s your turn: List any obstacles that may prevent you from writing, and develop a strategy for each. Here are some prompts to guide you: - When am I planning to write? What’s the optimal time for me? (morning/evening, weekdays/weekends…) - What obstacles might stand in my way? (family/kids/care duties/9-to-5 job…) - How can I overcome these obstacles? (waking up earlier/staying up late/dedicating lunch breaks to writing/learning to write on the go…) - Can I adjust my writing schedule to avoid conflicts? If not, what can I do instead?

5. Return to Your Schedule Quickly There have been times when I worked over 55 hours a week, not counting writing. I also took extended vacations to fully enjoy my time off without work responsibilities.

Life happens.

It’s no surprise that I couldn’t always maintain my writing routine, and instead of producing my ideal three articles a week, I might write only one or none.

Initially, stepping away from my routine felt distressing. However, rather than feeling guilty, I encouraged myself to return to my writing practice as soon as possible.

Now, I refuse to feel guilty about periods when I can’t prioritize writing. This mindset helps me get back to writing quickly, as taking breaks no longer comes with a sense of shame.

Now it’s your turn: Despite your best efforts, life may still interfere. There may be days, weeks, or even months when consistent writing isn’t feasible.

Avoid self-criticism; instead, focus on returning to your routine as soon as circumstances allow.

6. Set Your Intentions and Use a Timer Every time I sit down to write, I clarify my objectives and the timeframe in which I want to achieve them. My writing time is sacred.

I do this by establishing an intention and starting a timer for each writing session, typically set for 50 minutes.

After a focused 50-minute writing block, I take a break to stretch, sip coffee, and move around my space.

I repeat this process one or two more times, depending on my mood and goals.

To minimize distractions, I use a free Chrome extension called BlockSite, which prevents access to social media during my writing sessions.

Now it’s your turn: Determine the timeframe that maximizes your productivity. Some may prefer 25 minutes, while others may focus best for 50 minutes or even 1.5 hours. Experiment to find what works best for you.

Before you start the timer, ask yourself: What do I aim to accomplish today? Perhaps it’s completing your introduction or refining your headline. Whatever it is, set your intention and focus on that goal.

7. Live Fully Beyond Writing My most brilliant ideas often emerge from engaging conversations, and the best insights for my articles stem from meaningful discussions.

Much of the writing material comes from living life fully.

Before rushing to finish an article, allow yourself to process your thoughts and experiences. Avoid hurrying through the writing process just to meet a deadline.

Savor the journey of writing.

Now it’s your turn: To capture the ideas that come to me during conversations, I store all my notes and thoughts in Evernote, a piece of paper, or the default “Notes” app on my phone.

I prefer Evernote for its simplicity, user-friendly interface, availability on both PC and mobile, and its search function, which allows me to use it as a personal knowledge database.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter where you store your insights; just make sure to save them.

The key is that your idea collection method should feel comfortable and effective for you.

In Summary Writing consistently is not an insurmountable challenge. By implementing a few straightforward strategies, you can integrate writing into your daily life.

To summarize: 1. Reflect on whether writing aligns with your aspirations. Do you truly want to write regularly? 2. Kick off your writing journey with a challenge. How many articles will you aim to write in the next month? 3. Clarify your motivation and create a vision. What drives you to write? 4. Identify and eliminate roadblocks. What strategies will you use to overcome obstacles? 5. Quickly return to your writing routine after disruptions. How can you avoid guilt during breaks? 6. Set intentions and a timer to track your writing progress. What will you accomplish today? 7. Live fully to gather inspiration. What conversations resonate with you?

Writing is a unique field that allows you to share beauty while growing as an individual with every piece you create.

Each article I compose teaches me something new. Through writing, I’m evolving as a person, day by day.

But if you take away just one lesson from this article, let it be this: Enjoy the journey.

Did you find this helpful? I’m a sex writer most of the time. Subscribe for free to receive a monthly Real Talk newsletter discussing progressive sex education, female pleasure, and other essential topics we often overlook. Together, we can create positive change.

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