4 Steps to Developing a Writing Practice

Feb 21

Developing a writing practice is essential to growing your body of work and getting to know yourself as a writer. There are 4 basic steps to do so. Truly, only 4 to get started.

1. Pick a time

The first step to developing a writing practice is figuring how much time you reasonably can set aside for writing. Take a look at your routine and schedule your writing time.

It doesn’t have to be the same time every week or every day, it just has to be an appointment you keep. You owe it to yourself if you want to grow your career as a writer or even just if you want to enjoy having regular creative practice.

2. Pick a place

Where do you feel most productive? You can’t go wrong really. But figuring out where you’re going to write is essential to developing your writing practice.

Places I like to write:

my home office (which I’ve only had for the last couple of years)
coffee shops (some KC favorites include Café Corazón & Broadway Cafe & PH Coffee)
my couch
my kitchen table
the floor (a truly underrated workspace for adults)

I figured these places out through a lot of trial and error. Maybe you feel more inspired working at the park or the library.

3. Pick a medium

Perhaps the most important step when you’re developing a writing practice is figuring out what medium serves you best. Do you like to handwrite? Have you embraced the digital age? Is it a combination?

I personally love Google Docs. It lets me give my drafts fun little codenames and makes my entire body of work searchable. Plus, I can have it on my phone to access on the go, and I can access it on any computer.

4. Write

That’s it. It’s that simple, and that hard. Write. Even if you don’t have any of the other things figured out yet, write.

Interested in growing as a creative writer?

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About the author

Abby Bland (she/they) is a nonbinary writer who also straddles the line between comic and poet in Kansas City. Her poems have appeared in numerous publications and she regularly produces shows in the KC area. In 2022 she was awarded an ArtsKC Inspiration Grant for her one-person spoken word comedy show You Are Here.

Abigail Bland