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I was recently asked for tips on writing and I had to really stop and think about it. Some thoughts in the following thread. Disclaimer: this is my personal style & it may not work for everyone. That's probably the first tip, find a style/approach that works for you/your schedule
2/For me it was critical to find a regular routine. My wife & I have young kids, and as soon as they wake up the house is a bit chaotic. A few yrs ago when researching After the Caliphate, I decided to become an early bird. I wake each day at 4:45 a.m. & try to write btwn 5-7 am
3/Consistency has been key. Making sure that I write almost daily, because let's be honest, some days (for whatever reason) you just "don't have it." If I decided to save all of my writing for one day ("I'll block out Fri") and then didn't have it, I wouldn't be productive at all
4/So there are going to be good days & bad days, just roll with it. If you are writing 5-6 days/week, just like exercise, you will inevitably make progress. If I can have 2 really solid days out of 5 that's good. If I can have 3, even better. Some weeks are better than others.
5/I subscribe to the Reggie Miller school of writing. As in, Reggie Miller the basketball player. When Reggie wasn't hitting shots, he didn't stop shooting. He actually went out and shot more, he "shot himself hot" until he got back in the groove. I look at writing the same way.
6/I publish a lot, but I also leave a lot on the cutting room floor. I try to focus on quality over quantity, which means A LOT of time editing and scrutinizing word choice, sentence structure, flow, syntax, etc. The time spent is always a worthwhile investment in the end.
7/I look at writing as a craft, a skill to be nurtured and cultivated. I was Jesuit-trained as an undergrad and this has always had a big impact on me since my days at @LoyolaMaryland I guess it's also like a muscle, use it or it will atrophy
8/Lastly, I think one of the keys to becoming a better writer is to read and read widely. Don't stick just to your subject matter, although read deeply in your field, but also read fiction, magazines, and definitely a lot of high-quality journalism and newspapers/END of thread
