This is a follow-up to my last post on why I want to write (again).
“Do something every day. Keep the momentum going by getting into the habit of doing something, anything, to advance your book every single day.”
One thing the Writing for Developers book nails is this: you don’t become a better writer by thinking about writing; you get better by doing it. Even a sentence a day beats nothing. But, like most things, that’s easier said than done. Here are a few strategies that have stuck with me, and I’m trying to apply them to write more often.
Progress matters more than perfection. Some days, writing a single sentence is enough. On other days, it’s an outline, a rough draft, or just a few messy notes. The important thing is to keep moving. Writing is less about inspiration and more about momentum. Once you’re in motion, it’s easier to keep going.
You don’t need to make it great. You need to make it exist. I’ve killed too many drafts by trying to get everything “right” on the first try. Letting go of that makes a huge difference. Your first draft is just you thinking out loud. Make it exist first; you can always clean it up later.
If there’s a part of a post or idea that feels easier to write, start there. You don’t have to write in order. Start with the middle or even the ending. Doesn’t matter. The goal is to get something down.
If you can’t form complete sentences, start with simpler ones. A bullet list. A mind map. A few notes. Or look at a blog post you liked and copy its shape. You don’t need to reinvent the form every time. Just get your thoughts out in any format. The structure can come later.
Set a timer. 25 minutes, 45 minutes, whatever works for you. Giving yourself a fixed window makes it easier to start and more complicated to spiral into perfectionism or distractions. It’s easier to commit to a short writing block than an open-ended writing session.
Habits work best when they’re easy, obvious, and satisfying. For writing, that might mean:
You don’t need a fancy setup. You don’t need the perfect description. You don’t need the perfect design. You need to write. Writing is how you think, how you share, and how you grow. It doesn’t need to be flashy. It just needs to exist.
There’s no secret formula. But there is momentum you can build. So whether it’s a quick note, a blog post, or a messy half-draft, hit publish a little more often. That’s how it starts.
“Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.”