How to write better by writing every day

Want to be a better writer?

Write!

It's really the one thing that guarantees you'll improve.

Most writing experts recommend that you write every day. That's the way you build your writing muscle so that whatever else you do, the act of writing is easier -- more fluent, less daunting.

Writing every day is a lot more difficult than it sounds.

That's why you should check out this post at Publication Coach: 15 tips I use to help myself write every day. Here are the tips:

1. Put your commitment to yourself in writing. Post your commitment where you can see it.
2. Set a goal so small you can't fail. Like to write for 10-14 minutes. Or just one paragraph. Progress is progress!
3. Stack your writing with another habit. Like your morning coffee.
4. Write in the morning (unless you are a night owl). But pick a special time for your daily writing.
5. Have a double reminder system. Set an alarm or have an email send automatically.
6. Have a quiet place for writing.
7. Allow yourself to write badly. Really, it's okay to write crap. You can fix it later.
8. Don't edit while writing.
9. Don't research while writing.
10. Allow time for EVERY step in the writing process. Thinking, research, planning, editing ... they're all necessary steps. Make sure you separate the steps and do all of them.
11. Track your progress. Find a satisfying way to keep track.
12. Don't count "free writing." Freewriting is a useful thing to do, and you should make it part of your practice. But it's different from the daily writing discipline.
13. Set up an accountability system for yourself. Create rewards and "punishments" for yourself.
14. Plan for what to do if you fail. You will miss a day. That is often what defeats the habit. Make sure you have a recovery plan for those times.
15. Commit to the process for at least six months. If you keep it going to that long, you likely will have a long-term habit.