What Happens When You Stop Writing

We all know that to do something well, you have to practice it regularly. If you’re like me, habits like writing daily ebb and flow throughout the year. As soon as routine is disrupted by something unexpected, it can be difficult to get right back into that routine.

For me, the last two years have been full of unexpected disruptions which have put a stop to regular writing. As I’m starting to get back into it now, I’ve noticed that these four things happen when you stop writing.

1. Ideas are harder to produce

Creativity breeds creativity. When you’re in the habit of writing regularly, you open yourself up to ideas. They can come to you at work, on a walk, while you’re in the middle of writing, when you’re asleep. The more ideas you work on, the more ideas that come to you. When the creativity stops, your mind no longer focuses on producing creative ideas and it can feel like there’s a vast empty space in your head when you try to come up with just one idea to write about.

2. The writing flow is stilted

Writing regularly means you can easily get into the flow of writing each time you sit down to write. You get used to writing without stopping, whether you think it’s good or not, and keep going until the piece is done. When you’re out of…