Books for Building a Writing Routine (that works for you)
It all sounds so simple, just write every day, how hard could it be? (cue laughter). Of course we all know that it is nothing like that simple. But there is wisdom in working towards a consistent writing routine, whatever that routine actually looks like. These books are not hard "you must write every day" books. They are books that emphasise finding a routine that works for you.
List Criteria: Books focused on building and maintaining flexible routines.
Walking in This World - Julia Cameron
This book is the sequel to Cameron's The Artist's Way, but in many ways it is the one I find myself most often recommending to writers already writing. Where Artist's Way focuses on rediscovering your creative spirit, Walking in this World focuses on finding your creative rhythm. Cameron still recommends her morning pages (psst...I don't do mine in the morning anymore), and the artist dates, but she adds a weekly walk to her recommended routine. If you want something structured, with a lot of resources available to you, this is the way to go.
Tiny Habits - BJ Fogg
I read this book as part of a training for work, and found I actually liked the advice. Based on brain science, BJ Fogg helps you identify trigger habits that build into routines that happen with less thought, leaving your brain free for other tasks. This is the one pop science habit book that really stuck with me, and inspired a full "Year of Habits" theme in 2022. If you feel like you are always forcing yourself to do things even when you want to do them, this book can help.
The Creative Habit - Twyla Tharp
If you feel like your routine isn't working for you, Twyla Tharp has extremely thoughtful advice on the difference between Ruts and Grooves. Ruts are routines that suck the life out of your work, work for work's sake. Grooves are routines that reinforce your creativity. The advice is tucked near the back of an excellent book on creativity, professionalism, and building a repertoire as well. This book is on my list to re-read and do a full review of later this year.
Daily Rituals: How Artists Works - Mason Curry
If you want to feel reassured about the rightness of your idiosyncratic routine, this collection of over 150 routines of artists, writers, and intellectuals has everything under the sun. From Ben Franklin's nude sunbathing to Kafka's complaints about his noisy apartment, this book proves that there is no such thing as an ideal routine, only the routine that works for you. Read it when you want to feel better about writing from 2-am to 4-am because that's the only time the house is quiet. See also: Daily Rituals: Women at Work for a version with more female representation.
Four Thousand Weeks - Oliver Burkeman
The title of this book is a lie to sell this book to harried executives as a kind of undercover operation. It starts with the idea that you only have Four Thousand Weeks (give or take) on earth. But then throws all your expectations out the window and veers hard into how the world is structured to exploit your time and what you can do to fight back against it. In the end, instead of aksing how to do more with your time, it questions why you feel the need to. Read to think hard about priorities, schedule, and work-life balance. Then suggest it to your office book club as well.
What's your favorite book on writing routines? Do you have any advice on building a better routine? Drop it in the comments below.
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