My name is Stephen Rhoades and I want to be fully transparent. I love writing and have written lots of books. However, I’ve never been published. So, when I talk about my tactics and tips on writing, please remember I am an unpublished writer and not someone with contractual deadlines who writes for a living. I have a day job and just write when I have the time. Even though I’m not a full-time writer, I hope that this, and other articles, I write about the mysterious writing process may provide some clarity or reassurance to other aspiring writers out there in the world. Hope this helps.
We all like to set schedules and think we will keep them. Once, I blocked off four hours every morning before leaving for work to write at least 3000 words a day. My real job got in the way the first week, and I only sat down one morning out of five workdays. That day I wrote maybe 500 words, but it felt really disappointing and my morale was very low to start the next week. This type of overconfidence happens to me constantly, and I’m sure I cannot be the only one. 
So, what do we do as writers? Do we not set any weekly or daily goals? Do we lower our ambitions so that we are not let down? I don’t know about all of that. I think it depends on the person. With myself, I have to set ambitious goals and just deal with not achieving them. However, when I have an especially long drought from writing it is sometimes very difficult to come back and meet any kind of schedule. So, how do I come back into writing every day when I have had a long period of not writing at all?
I start with reading a lot. I sit down and read a fiction book (since I write fiction) in the genre that I write. I allow all of my writing time to be spent sitting and reading quietly. This does two things for me. First, it gets me used to not working or doing things that other people would see as productive. In other words, it gets me used to doing leisure activities for large parts of the day. I am giving myself permission to read, which can then be easily converted into permission to write. Second, it gets my brain immersed in the rhythm of reading which gets me thinking in literary terms instead of watching lots of TV and getting a brain fog.
After I’ve read a good bit and my brain has settled down, then I sit down and stare at the page. I stare and think until something comes out. I outline all of my novels, so I already know what I’m writing about and start typing pretty quickly. If I get writer’s block on the novel I’m working on, I switch to a short story and that seems to work for me.
Everyone has their tactics for getting into a rhythm and on a regular writing schedule, but that’s how I’ve come back from the abyss of working all the time and not writing for a while. The trick is to never stop writing a little bit every day (or at least every few days) so that you keep that writing muscle in shape. It’s a lot like not exercising for a while and trying to get back into it again. It’s difficult and there’s always a fear you won’t get back into the routine again. However, I’ve found that reading all of the time will keep my writing muscle in shape, even if I cannot find the time to write for a while. However, everyone’s different so if you have any suggestions on what’s worked for you please comment down below!
I love writing and drinking coffee. I’m also into skulls and stuff like that.
