Big Tiny Tips That Help Me Write

When I think about writing, I'm always considering the small yet significant elements that contribute to improving my craft. I believe that enhancing my writing skills will naturally occur if I maintain a certain level of focus. It's like nurturing a tree: with enough nutrition, it naturally grows towards the sky. So I don't really worry about improving my writing, because it'll happen by itself. In this way, I pay more attention to the 'soil and roots' of my writing process. My body, my mental state, nutrition and sleep.

Mentally, my first step before each session is to manage my expectations. The stoics called this pre-mortem - I used to dream about writing for long hours and producing millions of words. Now, I scale down these ambitions with precision. Instead of aiming for grand achievements, I set more realistic goals, like writing for about 30 minutes at a time. This approach prevents me from overreaching and helps me stay productive. I never 'write' anymore, I rather see each session as a small 'contribution' to the material I'm writing. Expectation control is my number one rule. It's crucial for keeping my writing goals achievable and grounded.

Another important practice is taking care of my physical wellbeing. Simple actions like a short massage (using a small massage gun, so not to strain my fingers), using ice packs on shoulders for a brief time, or holding a chilled can of sparkling water in my palm (balancing heart rate, used in NFL and more sports when someone takes a rest on the bench) can significantly impact my focus and balance. These small techniques work wonders for me. I even adjust the micro muscles in my face to help signal to myself that it's time to concentrate and get ready to write.

These methods may seem minor, but they make a big difference in my writing journey. They're my way of ensuring that I stay focused, balanced, and ready to nurture my writing, just like a tree steadily reaching upwards.