Within the writing community on Twitter, there’s a long-running hashtag: #WritersLife. Usually posts tagged as such deal with the common pitfalls of writing: finding time to write without distractions, juggling numerous unfinished projects, writer’s block, and so on. It’s meant to be fun: to share the little aspects of life as a writer only fellow writers can understand.

But over the past year, I’ve been thinking of #WritersLife differently: how much does lifestyle affect writing?

As longtime readers will know, my writing career has jumped forward over the past year. And I attribute much of that to my change in attitude. But while a more proactive attitude has certainly helped, I’ve spent time over the past few months looking back at what I’ve accomplished in a relatively short period of time. And more importantly, asking myself how it happened. And I came to feel much of it comes down to my overall lifestyle. So for fellow writers who’ve been struggling, here are a few things I feel have been key to my turnaround:

Reading

You see it all the time: to be a good writer, you have to read. Not just your work, but the work of others. And it really does help a lot. But I feel the key isn’t just volume. A writer should, at least most of the time, be intentional in their reading choices.

I am, believe it or not, a sci-fi writer. Over the years, I’ve come to write sci-fi exclusively. But as I’ve immersed myself in the genre, I’ve come to consume sci-fi almost exclusively as well. I preferentially watch sci-fi films and television series. The few video or computer games I play are all sci-fi. And I read sci-fi exclusively as well.

For a long time, I mainly read sci-fi from the masters: Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke. To be fair, there was nothing wrong with reading any of that. But I found myself neglecting the more recent sci-fi works out there. And in so doing, I grew out of touch with the modern market in my own genre.

So last year, I changed things up. I’ve immersed myself in modern science fiction. Some of it has been bad, but most of it has been great. And more importantly, it’s allowed me to realign my writing to modern conventions. That, I believe, has made all the difference. So if you’re a writer, then yes read. And don’t limit yourself to the genre you write in. But make sure that work within your genre, particularly recent work, forms the bulk of your literary diet.

Curate Your Media

Beyond reading, it can be helpful to make media decisions geared toward your writing. Over the past year, I’ve begun listening to classical music almost exclusively. Studies have shown that listening to classical music has positive effects on mental health, and improves concentration and memory recall. And I do believe it’s impacted my writing.

In particular, I’ve gravitated toward minimalism. The work of Philip Glass and Steve Reich, with its mathematical basis and rolling harmonies, is great for concentration. I’ve done some of my best writing listening to Steve Reich.

Physical Health

More and more studies have shown clear links between physical and mental health. And I firmly believe good physical health is crucial for good writing.

When I eat right, I find it easier to concentrate on writing. Lean protein, vegetables and fresh greens are great for brain work. And regular exercise also helps. Writing involves a lot of…well, sitting on your ass. I’ve learned a number of stretches for my back and trap muscles that alleviate the soreness that comes with hours spent hunched over a desk. And leg exercise, even just walking, releases endorphins that clear the mind. I often find myself taking notes for writing projects while walking. It always jogs things loose.

Market Immersion

I decided a year ago to embrace life as a writer. I read articles about market trends. I listen to a lot of podcasts. If you’re serious about writing, publishing is always the goal. There’s no point in writing seriously if you don’t plan on having others read your work. And hey, if you’re doing that, why not get paid?

I’ve learned a lot from podcasts in particular. There are several that are now hosted by active literary agents, and they provide insight into the business side of writing. Not only that, but unlike a lot of the articles out there, they’re providing information that is topical. I firmly believe you should never “write to the market”. Write what you like and believe in. But always be aware of where the market is going. It will help you to select target markets or agents, and fine-tune your strategy.

Writing can, particularly in the early going, be a grueling, thankless, lonely job. But as they say, the biggest difference between failed and successful writers is the successful ones never gave up. So don’t give up. Embrace the #WritersLife. And above all, don’t forget to write. – MK