I’ve coached writers for over fifteen years, and in that time, I’ve witnessed countless approaches to the writing process. Some writers outline meticulously; others discover their stories as they write. Some draft quickly; others craft each sentence with deliberate care. But amid all this variety, I’ve identified two practices that consistently lead to greater writing joy and productivity regardless of individual style:
- Writing consistently
- Stopping when you know what happens next
These two practices form a powerful partnership that can transform your relationship with writing from one of struggle to one of anticipation and satisfaction.
The Power of Consistency
In a recent coaching session, a client who had just completed a well-crafted mystery novel reflected on what made this project different from her previous attempts:
“I was doing 500 words a day, four to five days a week,” she explained. “I was showing up to the desk even when I wasn’t sure what would happen next.”
This consistency created momentum that carried her through the inevitable challenges of drafting a novel. Rather than waiting for inspiration or certainty about her plot, she committed to regular writing sessions—and the results spoke for themselves.
Another client described his experience this way: “When I write consistently—ideally daily or nearly so—I maintain a deeper connection with the developing story. My subconscious continues working on the narrative between sessions, and I’m less likely to lose the thread.”
This reflects what I’ve observed across hundreds of coaching relationships: consistency creates a feedback loop of positive reinforcement. Here’s why:
- The Continuity Effect
When you write daily or nearly so, you maintain what I call “story immersion.” Your characters, their world, and their problems remain alive in your mind even when you’re not actively writing. The narrative thread never goes completely cold, so you don’t waste energy reheating it each session.
A client who struggled with prolonged gaps between writing sessions noted: “Every time I came back after a week away, I spent most of my time just trying to remember what I was doing. It felt like starting over.”
By contrast, consistent writers experience what psychologists call “continuous partial attention” with their stories—the narrative simmers in the background of their minds, making connections and solving problems even when they’re engaged in other activities.
- The Skill-Building Compound Effect
Writing is both an art and a craft. The craft elements—sentence construction, dialogue mechanics, scene structure—improve through repetition and practice. Consistent writing accelerates this improvement.
“I noticed that after about six weeks of writing consistently,” one client told me, “I wasn’t spending as much mental energy on the basics. The words came more readily, and I could focus more on story and character.”
This is the compound effect in action—small improvements accumulating over time to create significant progress.
- The Identity Reinforcement
Perhaps most powerfully, consistent writing reinforces your identity as a writer. Each day you show up to the page, you’re telling yourself, “This is who I am. This is what I do.” This identity reinforcement creates intrinsic motivation that’s far more sustainable than external rewards or deadlines.
As one client put it: “My job is writer, and I do it.” That simple statement reflected a profound shift in how she viewed her writing—not as a hobby or aspiration, but as an essential part of her identity.
The Strategic Stopping Point
While consistency provides the foundation, where you choose to end each writing session can dramatically impact your experience the next day. Here’s why leaving off when you know what happens next is so powerful:
- It Creates Natural Momentum
Ernest Hemingway famously advised, “The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next.” This approach creates a natural bridge between sessions, eliminating the dreaded blank page.
One of my clients described her experience: “When I stop at a point where I know exactly what comes next, I find myself thinking about that scene while I’m cooking dinner or walking the dog. By the time I sit down to write the next day, the scene has grown richer in my mind, and I’m eager to get it down.”
This eagerness transforms the beginning of your writing session from a potential struggle to an anticipated pleasure. You’re not facing the question “What happens now?”—instead, you’re simply executing a vision that’s already forming.
- It Engages Your Subconscious
By deliberately stopping at a point where you know what happens next, you give your subconscious mind a clear problem to work on. This creates what creativity researchers call “productive incubation”—your brain continues processing the narrative challenge even as you engage in other activities.
A mystery writer in my coaching program noted: “I’ll stop when I know Detective Barr is about to find the murder weapon. Then all evening and the next morning, my brain is working out the perfect details of that discovery—what she notices first, what’s unexpected about it, how it changes her understanding of the case.”
This incubation period often produces insights and connections that conscious planning might miss. Many writers report that their best ideas come not while actively writing but while doing something entirely different—showering, walking, or driving—after having set up a clear narrative problem for their subconscious to solve.
- It Creates Psychological Safety
Beginning a writing session can trigger anxiety—the fear of not knowing what to write or writing something “bad.” Starting at a point where you already know what happens creates psychological safety that makes showing up to the page less threatening.
“I used to dread sitting down to write,” one client confessed. “Now I look forward to it because I always leave myself a little gift—the next scene already taking shape in my mind.”
This reduced anxiety makes consistency easier to maintain, creating a virtuous cycle of regular practice and lowered resistance.
Read Part 2 of this post to learn how to put the 2 step dance into practice.
Looking for more ways to find joy in your writing practice? My one-on-one coaching helps writers develop sustainable, pleasurable writing habits tailored to their unique creative process. Contact me to learn more.
In part 2 we’ll go over how to put the two-step dance into practice in your own writing.
