Become a Disciplined Writer

I'm learning some great lessons in my new job as supervisor and find connections to my life as a writer.  At the top of the list is discipline.  If you write only when you feel like writing, you may never publish your work.  Here's how you can become a disciplined writer:

1. Treat writing as a daily activity.  Allocate time for it on your calendar the same way you schedule doctor visits.  Don't allow other activities to crowd out your writing time.
2. Use part of your writing time to learn one new writing lesson per day.  A disciplined writer finds a way to be a little better today than yesterday.
3. Stay focused during your writing time.  It's okay to daydream as long as you are concentrating on character development or working on a plot but it's not alright to be thinking about frivolous activities.
4. Learn to start and end your writing sessions on time.  This forces your brain to stay on the task at hand.  This also gives you balance in your life.
5. Stick to your deadlines.  Avoid the temptation to stretch things out because this makes you lackadaisical.  

If you don't have discipline in your writing life, don't fret.  Discipline is a process.  Set your writing goals and do your best to add more discipline every day.  It helps to tell yourself, "I'm getting better at becoming a disciplined writer."  Repeat this daily until you become a disciplined writer.