Should you create a writing routine or just write when you’re inspired?

A great writer, some sources say it was William Faulkner, once said, “I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately, it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.”

I love this quote because it speaks to the power – and necessity – of creating a writing routine.

Waiting for inspiration to hit before you write isn’t going to help you achieve your writing goals. But creating and sticking to a writing routine will.

You can finally create a writing regimen of your own with these simple steps.

Since 2019 I’ve been working with Reckon Women to elevate Southern women’s voices. Each week we publish an original personal essay by a woman with ties to the South in the Reckon Women Voices column on ReckonSouth.com. Many of the pieces are also featured in newspapers across the region and even throughout the country. (One recent piece landed in a newspaper in Syracuse, New York!)

If you’ve been wanting to submit a story for Reckon Women Voices but you’re not sure where to start, here are my top tips for writing your story. (If you’re not a Southern gal, you can still use these tips to write personal stories to pitch to other publications.)