Writing- some despise it, others need it like they need air…and for me, my feelings towards the act of writing bounce between these two poles. I have always loved the quiet self-expression and limitless bounds of creativity that writing provides, but my relationship with writing changed dramatically upon entering college. Instead of feeling like writing was my creative outlet or a brain exercise, I felt like it was a chore, and eventually something I dreaded due to the instant cycle of essay writing required by my major. Impending essays began to inspire so much anxiety, and I realized that something needed to change so that I could better manage my workload and salvage my love for writing. Here are the habits that have worked the best for me:
Freewriting/Journaling
Having a designated space where I can write freely and non-academically has made a huge difference and allotted me the space to develop my own unique perspective. I originally tried to have a diary, but the pressure of having to chronicle my day also began to feel like a chore. Instead, I opted for writing down anything I felt was valuable- thoughts, random events that happened in the day, lines from poems, etc. I also set a timer for 10 minutes and just write as much as I can in this time. Setting a time limit has proven to be most helpful because it encourages me not to drone on and on, but to prioritize my daily focuses.
Reading
I try to read something not required by a syllabus for at least 15 minutes a day. Most of the time, I opt for a poetry book or a News article since most of my required reading is narrative writing; I need a lot of variety to ward off feelings of monotony. Reading the writing of others can be very inspiring as well and take your mind to places that it otherwise would not have reached. No matter how fun social media can be, reading feels more fulfilling to me than scrolling on TikTok and gives me the energy and motivation to begin writing. Nothing sparks that desire to write quite like reading does.
Outlining
One of the most impactful quotes I have heard in the scope of writing is “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” This is not to say that a rushed paper will automatically result in an F, but that rushing the writing process and creating an association with stress is not beneficial to writers at all. Planning out my discussion points and selecting pieces of evidence that I want to explore beforehand has made so much of a difference. Writing doesn’t feel like such a challenge because outlining allows me to break up the process into manageable parts. The writing process should be enjoyable, and this is only possible without the influence of stress or worrying about a due date.
I still have my tiffs with writing assignments and I definitely wouldn’t describe my attitude toward essay writing as something perpetually positive, but incorporating these habits allows me to stay connected to my foundational love for writing.