We’ve just started a series on writing habits, and yesterday, we talked about writing habit #1, which is establishing a goal for your writing. If you haven’t listened to that episode, I encourage you to check it out.

Today we’re going to talk about Habit #2: Set up a dedicated writing space that is free of distractions.

Let me ask you something. Have you ever tried writing in a space you use for other things like eating, entertainment, or playing computer games?

It may seem convenient at the time, but you’re really signaling to your brain that you should be doing all those things at once. The environment where you write has a powerful effect on your ability and motivation to get the work done.

This is why it’s important to try writing in a space you only use for writing.

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Even a simple table will do—or a broom closet, if you need! When you work in that space, the environment tells your brain it’s writing time… not eating time, entertainment time, or sleeping time.

It is also helpful to set up your writing space so that it’s free from distractions and clutter. Nothing is more conducive to great writing than a clean, neat, organized desk free from the clutter of everyday life.

In addition, it’s also helpful to shut off as many distractions as possible from our digital devices. It’s hard to concentrate if you constantly have pings from your phone going off while writing.

Even if you don’t have extra space in your home or apartment, you can do something as simple as sitting at the kitchen table or somewhere else in the house. The awesome thing about being a writer is that you don’t need much… just a writing tool, a chair, and a table or desk.

Today’s Challenge: Decide where you will write and do your best to ensure it has as few distractions as possible.

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Today’s podcast episode also includes an interview with one of our Daily Writer Club members, Eric Elder!

Eric writes books and music for the page, stage, and screen to give people a boost in their faith. He’s written dozens of books, including my personal favorite, St. Nicholas: The Believer: A New Story For Christmas Based On The Old Story Of St. Nicholas. Eric has also created a couple of albums of piano music, a ballet, a musical, and coming this Christmas, an Italian “puppet opera.” You can learn more about Eric at https://ericelder.com.