What my writing routine looks like

Hi Reader,

I quit my day job to work on my writing business in 2020.

These days, I work in a home office.

I get up around 7 AM and drop the kids off at school. Then, I drink coffee and read some non-fiction on my Kindle.

I also use a meditation app called The Way for 10–20 minutes.

Around 9 AM, I put on a pair of noise-canceling headphones and play ambient music on Spotify. I then open an app called Flow and set a timer for 90 minutes.

I work on my main creative project for the day.

Some current examples include writing this daily newsletter and YouTube scripts. I’ll also outline ideas for future projects, such as a book.

If I’m stuck for ideas, I’ll journal and write down ideas from books I’ve read.

Sometimes, I track my word count, but 90 minutes is more than enough to make meaningful progress, whether I’m editing or writing.

(Years ago, I worked in blocks of 30 minutes. But I get much more done if I can sit in the chair and focus for 90 minutes).

After 90 minutes, I take a half-hour break to eat breakfast and brew tea.

I used to eat porridge and scrub through online courses on x2 over breakfast. But cramming more content into my head first thing fries my brain.

Then, I’ll work for another 90 minutes.

I set hard rules about social media in the morning. I’ve disabled all the platforms on my Mac using an app called Freedom. I also removed them from my iPhone.

In the afternoon, I don’t write. I usually work in a gym near our house or go for a run near a local canal.

After that, I take calls, post on LinkedIn, and work with a few clients. I’ll also ensure the trains run on time by checking invoicing or fixing technical problems with my site, and finally, I use social media.

Then, I collect the kids from school.

And after dinner…

I’m in the middle of training for a triathlon, so I’ll also get in a second workout, such as a swim or a cycle.

Or I’ll connect with other writers and creators I know who run similar online businesses.

At night, I write my priorities for the following day on a whiteboard in my office. I based these priorities on my daily checklist. Basically, I need to do 4–5 things every day.

Here are some examples:

• Writing and sending a daily email
• Posting on LinkedIn to grow my newsletter
• Making an offer to a potential client
• Working with a client or student

The point here isn’t that you should reverse engineer my writing routine…or anyone else’s.

I can focus for 90 minutes because I’m working on my business full-time. I don’t have to stop to take calls or attend a Zoom meeting.

I’d have found that impossible when working as a copywriter in my corporate life.

Writing full-time can be an isolating experience. I struggle with this problem too. Writers regularly tell me they’d love to connect with other writers.

I’ve created a waitlist for the Become a Writer Today writing community. You can connect with other writers and also post extracts of your work for feedback. I’ll also share info about how to find writing jobs and build your brand online. It’ll cost $19.95 per month.

You can join here.

Write on,

Bryan Collins