How to build a writing habit online in 30 days and reshape your life.
There’s great power in writing well.
Consistency is how to develop the skill.
Writing is at the core of everything creative professionals do.
It doesn’t matter how “graphically-oriented” your craft may be. The world revolves on the written word first. Ideas become notes. Notes become longer forms of communication. Sometimes they become logos, or designs, or even buildings.
Writing is how big ideas are given life.
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I’ve been writing online since Oct 2015.
I’ve learned a few tricks along the way. But I wanted to know more. So I signed up for a cohort-based writing course called “Ship 30 for 30.”
Little did I know how it would change me for the better.
The Plan
It started with a simple plan:
Write 30 essays in 30 days and publish them all online.
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What I wanted out of it:
To meet other writers.
To improve my daily writing habit.
To put more of my work into the world.
To build my copywriting / persuasive writing skills.
Lessons Learned
After the cohort was done and I had published 30 essays, I was reminded that consistent writing is:
1. Hard
Writing and publishing every day is difficult. It requires enough forethought to start with a kernel of a good idea. It also requires the bravery to put that writing out no matter what. It challenges you to show up in multiple ways. That push is what helps you grow.
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2. Revealing
Daily writing unwraps ideas and creates new ones. It shows you what people resonate with and what they don’t. It shows you what you like to write about and what you’ll never write about again.
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3. Relationship-building
In the time I’ve been writing, I’ve met many amazing writers and creators. I’ve cultivated similar interests with humans I may have never met otherwise. By putting myself out there, I opened the door for new friends.
Writing Daily in Public
Writing daily online is one of the best ways to grow as a person.
Full stop.
I recommend writing online because it gives you real-time feedback to the ideas swimming around in your head.
Writing in a bubble won’t help you in the same way.
Journaling is for self-reflection. It’s passive.
Writing in public is for idea testing. It’s active.
Writing in public is about putting your ideas out there, learning from others, and using what works to fuel new and better ideas.
Not every idea will resonate.
And that’s okay.
As you write more often, all types of writing become easier.
You’ll see uptick patterns in the quality of your emails, your contracts, your letters, your meeting minutes—everything you write.
Want to try it out? Here's a path to get you started...
6 Steps to Starting an Online Writing Habit of Your Own
Pick a lane - Rather than posting to everything. Choose a social platform like LinkedIn or Twitter and start there. Built out after you’ve become comfortable with consistency.
Start small - Commit to writing a single post. Keep it simple and don’t try to overthink what to write about. Just write.
Get accountable - Tell someone close to you that you’re working on a 30 day challenge. Better yet, get them to write with you!
Set sacred time to write - Carve out 30min to 1hour everyday. Write for a bit, check high-level grammar, and send it out.
Interact with others - Writing is by nature a solitary act. But writing online doesn’t have to be. Comment on posts of people’s work you resonate with. Make connections and learn from them.
Post every day - Some days it won’t feel like you have anything to say. Post anyway. Write an observation. Share a story. Just. Keep. Writing.
TL; DR
Writing is a path to personal growth
Writing brings ideas to life
Start a 30 day writing challenge
Pick a lane
Start small
Get accountable
Learn from others
Post every day online
Quote of the Week
Motivation for the days ahead of you.
“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”
— Louis L’Amour
That's all for now.
Stay creative, my friends—and have a great week!
