How to Create a Morning Writing Routine for NaNoWriMo

As we dive into NaNo Prep season , we’ve talked to some participants to get the inside scoop on how to best prepare for November. Today, Benjamin Spall, co-author of My Morning Routine: How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired , shares how to set yourself up for success by creating a morning writing routine:

The surest path to success during NaNoWriMo comes in the little things you do every day. When all is said and done, succeeding at NaNoWriMo requires you to create a daily writing routine—and stick with it.

Opinion varies on when you should write, but I’m here to advocate for a morning writing routine. Over the past five years, I have interviewed over three-hundred successful individuals about their morning routines, including many famous writers, authors, and even NaNoWriMo’s own Grant Faulkner.

During this time, and while writing my book full of exclusive interviews and advice on how to get started with a morning routine, my co-author and I began to notice some clear trends surrounding how the most productive and successful writers spend their first few morning hours.

Here is what we’ve learned about creating a morning writing routine.

1. Write before checking email and social media.

Have you ever noticed how effortless it is write when you’re in the zone? This feeling often comes when we’re already writing—when we’re churning out words like nobody’s business. Conversely, have you ever noticed how difficult it can sometimes be to get started?

Improve your chances of getting in the zone quicker by writing before you check your email and social media notifications. Give your novel the respect it deserves and do your most important work first. As author Ryan Holiday told me in an interview, “I have one other simple rule: Do one thing in the morning before checking email. It could be showering, it could be going for a long run, it could be jotting some thoughts down in my journal. It’s usually writing.”

2. Remove all distractions.

Your email inbox and social media accounts are distractions to your morning writing routine, but so is just about every other app on your smartphone, and every website you can access from your computer.

Set up content blockers on your computer and phone. There are many free and paid services available that can do this for you, including SelfControl, Freedom, and Focus. Next, look at your desk. If it’s full of distractions that are not related to your writing, remove them. If necessary, write outside of your home, so you’re not tempted to procrastinate by tidying up around the house or making yourself an early lunch…

3. Get a good night’s sleep.

When I asked Arianna Huffington about her morning routine she surprised me by wanting to talk primarily about sleep. She told me that 95 percent of the time she gets eight hours of sleep a night—but it’s not always been this way. About ten years ago Arianna had a painful wakeup call when she fainted from sleep deprivation and exhaustion. She was burning the candle at both ends, and as a result she vowed to start prioritizing sleep above all else.

In order to get the most out of your morning writing routine, you need to make sure you’re getting enough sleep the night before. It’s that simple. Get the sleep you need to fuel your creativity the next day.

4. Write even when you’re not writing.

Just because you’re not physically writing your novel outside of your morning writing routine, this doesn’t mean you’re not writing.

When I caught up with author and artist Austin Kleon he let me in on the magic of his daily walks: “Almost every single morning, rain or shine, my wife and I load our two sons into a red double stroller and we take a three-mile walk around our neighborhood… It’s when ideas are born, when we make plans, when we spot suburban wildlife, when we rant about politics, when we exorcise our demons.”

While Austin isn’t sitting down at his desk during this time, it’s hard to argue that he’s not working on his craft. Write when you’re not writing by thinking about your novel when you’re at the gym, walking the dog, or doing anything else throughout your day. And if an especially good idea comes to you, be sure to write it down before it slips away.

Benjamin Spall is the co-author of My Morning Routine: How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired, and the founding editor of mymorningroutine.com.