“Oh, crap,” you say. Here is another person telling me what to do. Yes, I am telling you what to do. I am telling you to write every day. Your neighbor will tell you to write whenever you want to. Your neighbor will also tell you when they want you to mow your lawn, or why you should switch to their garbage service.
Before I will tell you why you need to write every day, I want to ask you a few questions. No peeking.
1. What color is your next door neighbors front door?
2. What is in your kitchen sink?
3. When does your milk expire?
4. How many pairs of socks do you own?
5. What color was the sky at sunset last night?
Okay now, how did you do? Were you able to answer my five questions? Did you get any of the answers right?
Why you need to write every day
1. Writing every day turns on your writing brain. You notice details.
2. Writing every day makes you a better writer.
3. Writing every day helps you develop the writing habit.
Habit, according to Wikipedia, is an acquired pattern of behavior that often occurs automatically. Habit is also a song by Pearl Jam, an album by Neon Trees, a distinctive dress worn by members of a religious order, and a 1977 horror film.
Writing every day will give you a behavior that occurs automatically. Writing will become as natural as brushing your teeth after every meal, and flushing the toilet after you use it.
Help! What should I write about?
1. Write about what you see in the world.
2. Stop asking for what you should write about, and look around you, look within.
3. You have a story that only you can tell. Write it down. Someone needs to read it.
You have options
You can brush your teeth after every meal or once a week. You can switch your garbage service, or you can keep the one you have. You can write every day or you can write once a month on Saturday at 10:00 a.m.
What are you doing to do?
I believe in you
You can do this. You have ideas. Write. Write every day.
Will you?
Please let me know in the comments
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P.S. My answers to the five questions
1. Black.
2. Probably dirty dishes
3. March 8th, 2013. But I peeked.
4. I’m not sure. I will tell you tomorrow after I clean out my sock drawer.
5. No idea, I forgot to look.
