5 dead-simple steps to build a daily writing habit (that yo…

By the end of this thread you will have:

1. Found time to write
2. Generated 12 months of ideas
2. Set a daily publishing cadence
4. Overcome your procrastination
5. Built a bulletproof accountability system

Just in time for the new year.

Let's go:

Step 1. Design your writing routine in a single sentence.

This is immediately where most people go wrong.

They set a vague goal to "start writing."

Instead, you want to define:

• When you're writing
• Where you're writing
• For how long you're writing

Here's an example:

Bad way to build a writing habit:

→ "I want to start writing."

Good way to build a writing habit:

→ "Every morning at 8 AM, I will sit down at my desk with a cup of coffee and write for 20 minutes."

Clearly defined when, where, and how long.

But how do you decide these?

Enter: Sacred Hours

To find your Sacred Hours, ask yourself 2 questions:

1. What time of day am I most productive?
2. What time of day can I be least reachable?

The overlap of these times are your Sacred Hours.

During that time, start small and commit to just 20 minutes.

Step 2. Set a consistent output cadence.

Just having time to write is not enough—you need to actually *publish* what you write.

So pick 1 platform and commit to publishing something there consistently—no matter how "ready" it feels.

Here are some examples for inspiration:

1. Publish 1 tweet per day on Twitter
2. Publish 1 post per day on LinkedIn
3. Publish 1 blog post per week on your blog (not recommended)

For me, I'm excited to publish a daily Atomic Essay on Twitter for all 365 days in 2023.

Now you might be thinking—what do I write about?

Step 3. Use the 2-Year Test to come up with ideas for your core topics

Whether you think so or not, you have *hundreds* of ideas to write about.

They've just become obvious to you—so you need to unlock them.

And to do that, you can use the 2-Year Test.

Here's how it works:

Ask yourself, over the last 2 years, what:

• Skills have you built?
• Struggles have you faced?
• Hobbies have you picked up?
• Problems have you overcome?
• Topics have you learned about?

From this list choose 3 topics that most excite you.

Now, we use the 4A Framework:

With your core topics chosen, it's time to generate ideas.

And you can write about every topic in 4 ways using the 4A Framework:

• Actionable (here's how)
• Analytical (here's a breakdown)
• Aspirational (yes, you can)
• Anthropological (here's why)

Here's an example:

Based on the 4A framework, use these proven methods to talk about your idea:

• Tips
• Stats
• Steps
• Stories
• Quotes
• Benefits
• Lessons
• Reasons
• Mistakes
• Examples
• Questions
• Frameworks

Plenty here to get you started!

But now, the most important step:

Step 4. Overcome procrastination by killing your "onces."

If you're still reading this, you have everything you need to start writing every day.

But chances are, you won't *feel* ready, because "now isn't the perfect time."

So here's some harsh truth:

The timing will never be right.

• "Once work slows down"
• "Once I feel like I've learned more"
• "Once I complete my Notion dashboard"

These "onces" are procrastination—because "once" they happen, you find more reasons to put it off.

So there's no better time than today.

Step 5. Immerse yourself in accountability & community

I learned this one the hard way—because my first 9 months writing online were incredibly lonely.

I wasted hundreds of hours writing and publishing on a blog that no one knew existed.

At that point, I was ready to give up.

But in November 2020, I found a way to surround myself with other writers.

And this meant I always had:

• Feedback from others (so I improved quickly)

• Accountability to keep writing (since everyone else was writing too)

Suddenly, writing every day was *easy* AND *fun*

And this accountability is exactly what Ship 30 for 30 offers.

Tomorrow, January 1st, 2023, hundreds of writers will kickstart the new year by writing and publishing every day for 30 days.

So if you're looking to finally start writing in 2023, join us!

https://t.co/gFBSuuRAzv

5 dead-simple steps to build a writing habit in 2023:

1. Design your writing routine

2. Set your daily publishing cadence

3. Use the 2-year test + 4A Framework

4. Demolish procrastination by killing your "onces"

5. Create a bulletproof community accountability system

And that's it!

Everything you need to build a daily writing habit & start writing online in 2023.

If you found this helpful:

Jump back to the top tweet to like & retweet it.

That way you can find it later and others can find it too.

Here's the link:

https://t.co/4mKsaLbi5T

5 dead-simple steps to build a daily writing habit (that you can actually stick to): pic.twitter.com/CnWNmZoJUR
— Dickie Bush \U0001f6a2 (@dickiebush) December 31, 2022

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