- Do short exercises to improve your writing muscles.
- Carry a notebook everywhere you go and write down ideas as they come along.
- Work out the time of day when you’re at your most creative.
- Don’t agonize over getting it right.
- HAVE FUN!
Short exercises: Yes! So much yes. Everyone thinks that to be a great writer you have to write long-winded things in one sitting. Not so! Short and sweet is key to maintaining a habit, which then builds longer pieces.
Time of day: People always bring up that you need to write a minimum, find a comfort zone, etc. but knowing when you're most productive is such a benefit to your brainstorming. Night owls, make time around 9-10p (or later, I suppose) to work on your stuff. Morning birds, make writing one of your first things to do, even if it's something like dream journaling. It's all about putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboards) and stringing together some coherent thoughts.
Getting it right: This was always my greatest struggle. I assumed everything I wrote down was the final draft, but that's not the case. Expect to have to fix everything you put down, but know that everything you write is a new building block and a move in the right direction.
