How to Write Every Day: Even When Life Gets in the Way
Oct 17, 2025
Let’s be honest.
You wake up, check your phone, rush through breakfast, handle work, kids, chores - and by the time you finally sit down to write, the brain says, “Bhai, kal karte hain.”
But here’s the truth: the difference between writers who dream and writers who finish is just one habit - writing every single day.
Not a lot. Not perfect. Just daily.
Even ten minutes can change everything.
Why Writing Every Day Actually Works
When you write every day, something magical happens.
You stop waiting for inspiration — and start building momentum.
• You get faster. The more often you show up, the less resistance you feel.
• You find your voice. It stops sounding like your favourite author and starts sounding like you.
• You stop overthinking. When writing becomes a ritual, you don’t waste time convincing yourself to start.
Think of it like gym training for your imagination. One day’s effort won’t show, but 30 days? You’ll feel the difference.
How to Build the Habit
Here’s what’s worked for me - and for other writers juggling work, life, families, traffic, and chaos:
1. Start small
Forget “2000 words a day.” Start with 10 minutes or one paragraph.
Write while your chai brews.
Could you write between two meetings?
Write a single dialogue on your phone.
That’s it. Small wins, repeated daily, build a rhythm.
2. Set a fixed time
Pick a time your mind feels alive — early morning before the world wakes up, or late night after everyone sleeps.
My favourite is dawn. That soft silence before Delhi wakes up — perfect for writing truths I can’t hear later in the noise.
3. Create a ritual
Have one signal that tells your brain: “Now we write.”
Light a candle. Play a specific song. Brew coffee.
When that ritual repeats daily, writing follows naturally.
4. Plan loosely
Before bed, just note down what you might write tomorrow — a scene, a memory, or a random idea.
That way, when you sit to write, you don’t waste time wondering what to write.
5. Write badly
Seriously. Write rubbish. Cringe-worthy. Overdramatic.
You can fix bad writing later — but you can’t fix a blank page.
6. Forgive missed days
Missed a day? Don’t overreact.
Life in India is unpredictable - power cuts, guests, traffic, cricket matches.
Return the next day. The real discipline is not “never missing,” it’s “never quitting.”
How Writers Do It
• A young filmmaker in Mumbai writes one scene every morning before work — no matter how sleepy.
• A poet in Chennai types lines on her phone during her metro ride.
• A college student in Kolkata records voice notes while cooking dinner.
Different lives, one thread: they all show up.
Try A 7-Day Writing Challenge
Try this simple experiment:
1. Pick a time - 10 or 20 minutes max.
2. Write every day for 7 days straight.
3. Don’t worry about quality. Just write.
4. At the end of the week, read it all. You’ll be surprised by how much clarity grows between lines.
Remember, writing daily isn’t about discipline alone - it’s about building a small space in your day where your imagination gets to breathe.
Conclusion
If you’ve ever said, “I’ll write when I have time,” here’s a secret - no one ever finds time. You make it. So start with one line today. Don’t wait for Sunday. Don’t wait for inspiration. Because your story won’t write itself - you will.