#14: Two Lessons from Two Weeks of Daily Writing

This is my 14th atomic essay in 14 days.

The last time I've been this consistent with publishing my thoughts was last year, back in June when I joined Ship 30. Since then, I've been trying to write every day but only gained momentum as I slowly learn about the art of building healthy habits.

The past two weeks have taught me two valuable lessons:

1. Keep showing up.

On some days, I feel like giving up and accepting that I'm not the type of person who has enough energy and creativity to write every day. Plus, it doesn't seem to make much of a difference to skip a day or two.

But still, I fight the resistance and write.

I put in the reps, because the only way to become a writer is to write. This practice also helps me think clearly, deeply understand the things I've been learning, improve my craft, and hone self-discipline.

"It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal to try to write one page per day.

But if you write a page a day for a month, and you have 30 pages. Enough for a chapter. If you write a page a day for a year, you end up with 365 pages. Enough to fill a novel.

This is the best way I know to go from nothing to something."

— Austin Kleon

2. Be curious.

I have a problem.

I'm running out of things to write about, coming to the humbling conclusion that I may not know a lot after all!

I've been reading too much nonfiction and self-help articles that my recent posts regurgitate conventional advice in the modern personal development world.

So I'll try to follow Ray Bradbury’s advice again. He suggests reading one short story, one poem, and one essay every night to make non-obvious connections and come up with fresh and unique ideas.

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Hi, and thanks for reading! I'm Kishly, a cheerleader of creatives and copywriter turned marketing strategist. Bookmark this blog to read my daily atomic essays on marketing, compassionate productivity, creative living, and lifelong learning. Or subscribe to Process, my weekly-ish newsletter for young adults (and the young at heart) in pursuit of wisdom and wonder. ✨