Ramblings of a Writer

Forever the procrastinator, this is how I finally got into the habit of writing daily.

Thank you, Joe

After 18 months of procrastinating, I have finally made writing for myself a daily habit. Does the procrastination part sound familiar, writer friends? I have Joe LaSanche of Joe Stays Sober to thank for that. I met Joe through a family member in Chicago a few years ago, and I was excited to learn that he was a published writer. We hit it off right away and, of course, we talked about why we love writing, our processes (well, his process anyway), and the importance of a regular writing habit to really hone the craft.

Joe’s writing habit

Joe gets up every morning and writes before most of us are even awake. He keeps a notepad and pen on his bedside table and writes down his dreams or ideas as they occur. Joe publishes on two platforms - Substack and Medium - and while he takes his writing seriously, Joe doesn’t always take himself seriously, one of the many things I love about him. Joe’s writing is filled with humor, humility and brutal honesty. He shares the good, the bad and the ugly, and he’s not afraid to be real. Though I haven’t asked him, I presume Joe’s daily writing habit is both an outlet for him and another way for him to help others, because he is that kind of guy.

My writing habit

Joe’s writing habit inspired me and I wanted to develop my own, but it took me a while to get there. A long while. I kept putting it off, promising myself, “When I have time or after I’m done with this project,” but such promises don’t happen without a plan. Thanks to a new Mastermind group (CARE Mastermind) I am a part of, I have finally made writing for myself a daily habit. Each night, I write in a writing journal my daughter bought for my birthday in 2016 - 642 Things to Write About from the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto. I try to write for at least 30 minutes, choosing as many or as few writing prompts as I want. I occasionally do this outside in the evening which is refreshing.

Here are a few of the prompts I’ve written about recently:

• Wisdom you learned from your child

• What you think about that always brings you to tears

• The oldest item in your possession

• Something you never told your mother

• A powerful Hollywood agent’s personal to-do list.

I have been writing in this journal on and off since 2016, but this is the first time I committed to writing in it every day. I feel so accomplished when I’m done because it makes me think about things that I might never think about. It also helps me check “daily writing” off that day’s to-do list.

The next step: publishing

The next step toward my goal of writing daily is to make notes of my story ideas or random thoughts I might someday develop into an interesting piece. The ideas usually come while I’m walking the dog or in the middle of the night - anytime my mind is quiet. I pull out my notes app and write down the idea wherever I am. I have learned that if I don’t capture the idea when it comes to me, I may very well lose it.

I am going to take baby steps toward the type of writing commitment Joe has mastered. I’ll continue to write in my writing journal daily, and I plan to publish here at least weekly. Hold me to it! Keep me accountable!

And, Joe, thank you for bringing me back to something I love so much and that is so much a part of me. I didn’t lose it. It was waiting for me all along.

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