Taking the First Step

Many people believe that the hardest part is simply starting. I won’t sugarcoat it: the effort is yours to make. You need to devise a clear action plan.

If you grew up in the 90s like I did, you likely recall the classic films featuring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger:

Photo courtesy Bullfrag

These films often revolve around a central conflict requiring resolution, leading to the creation of a strategy to save the day. Your conflict, however, is internal. You aspire to write more, and only you can make that happen. Thus, you need your own action plan.

Your writing strategy should be straightforward:

• Why do you want to enhance your writing? What’s your goal?
• What does writing more entail? (e.g., a specific number of articles)
• How can you carve out time to write? Does your current schedule allow for it?
• When will you begin? Set a deadline!

Writing doesn’t necessarily mean churning out articles daily or aiming for an unrealistic number each month. Allow yourself time to adjust and experiment. Here’s a practical example: if your goal is to earn $10 a month and you currently write 5 articles for $4, you’ll need to double your output. If your schedule is tight, consider reducing Netflix time from 2 hours to 1 hour each day—this could free up an additional 7 hours for writing. You could finish your favorite series and start your writing journey next month.

It's not insurmountable, right?

Sticking to Your Plan

Now comes the critical part: how do you ensure adherence to your plan? Think of Sylvester and Arnold again; if they hadn’t stayed the course, the world would be a different place. Take your plan as seriously.

Failing to stick to your plan means you risk losing your commitment to yourself. Ask yourself, do you want to feel pride in your achievements? Stand firm; it requires mental discipline. Treat yourself as your best friend—how would you feel if they broke their promises?

I wish I could offer you a shortcut to maintaining your resolve, but there isn’t one. Ultimately, it’s your motivation that serves as the strongest adhesive to keep you on track.

You might consider enrolling in writing courses to maintain your commitment during the course duration. But what happens afterward? You need to rely on yourself.

I do have one helpful tip: reward yourself! Imagine you’re a horse, and each time you adhere to your plan, give yourself a "carrot." Treat yourself, and relish that sense of accomplishment.

Becoming an Active Writer

While sticking to your plan is essential, your long-term objective should be to evolve into an active writer. So, my final piece of advice is to establish a system that works for you.

You don’t need to read every piece of advice on writing—you’re already a writer. Don’t chastise yourself for not following your plan; simply acknowledge it and move forward.

Now what? Identify a system that makes writing enjoyable and secure. This system could include:

• Topics that excite you
• Target publications
• Formatting guidelines
• Length specifications
• Regular assessments of your work

By "assessment," I don’t mean obsessively checking your stats daily. Instead, evaluate the quality of your writing and your progress toward your goals. You might find that your goals need to be adjusted to align with your current circumstances.

Once you reach this point, you take control of your writing journey. You will be making active decisions rather than being swayed by procrastination, skill gaps, or other distractions in your life.

You can write more.

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