Making Room for Passion-Work, A Simple Way to Start and Sustain Your Daily Writing Practice

Establishing a regular writing routine is one of the best commitments a writer can make if they intend to complete their manuscript and move toward publication. There are many tasks and responsibilities competing for attention, making it difficult to develop the discipline needed to pursue writing. But taking steps to build a routine can restore joy in a writer's life, because the act of working toward their passion, and seeing progress, encourages them to keep going.

According to Zane, passion and discipline are partners when it comes to diligently writing to complete a manuscript. In her book, Infinite Words: A Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Publishing, she asserts that a writer should discover the best time of day and writing location that inspires the most creativity and commit to it daily.

“I am an avid believer that if you want to truly be a writer, you will do it daily so that it becomes a routine like brushing your teeth.”

Her advice deeply resonated with me.

Two years ago, I took a twelve-month sabbatical and not long after, I decided to leave the company. During that time, I spent many of my days doing exactly what Zane described. First, I mimicked my previous work schedule: getting up at 7 a.m., working from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at a coffee shop before going home. But I came to realize that I didn’t need to limit myself to the hours of a typical workweek. I also noticed that my energy levels didn’t support this schedule throughout the day.

Because I had the flexibility to try new ways to organize my day around writing and other passion-work, I began tracking when I was naturally productive, when my energy dipped, and when I had a second wind. Instead of trying to power through the low moments, I decided to make a major adjustment.

I started working very early in the morning, taking breaks in the afternoon to run errands or catch up with a friend over lunch, then working again for a few more hours in the early evening, either before or after dinner. This matched my energy rhythms, gave me flexibility, and allowed me to take advantage of the daylight and to break away from the standard workday.

However, there was a time when I really struggled to make room for my passion-work. My previous role required long hours—often mornings through evenings, seven days a week. More often than not, exhaustion consumed the time I had hoped to use for writing or building my business. When I did manage to complete a few tasks, it was late at night and heavily deadline-driven instead of being the result of intentional planning.

Truly, I wasn’t as successful as I hoped in incorporating my passion-work into that lifestyle. And for those with obligations during their most productive hours, I understand.

Still, writing regularly, until it becomes a natural part of your daily rhythm, is what moves you from aspiring to practicing writer. That’s where I am now. I work on my projects every day because it doesn’t feel like work and am more excited to make my ideas tangible.

One practice I introduce in my workshops is timed interval writing. It’s something I recommend to anyone looking to (re)establish their process or create a new routine.

Start with just three minutes per day. Set a timer in the morning after you wake, write. Carry a notebook and pen, open a notes app, or use your phone’s voice-to-text feature. When you find three minutes of a break in your schedule, write. Set a night timer when you wind down for the day, write.

Using timed intervals in this way helps you take advantage of small moments and continue making progress on your writing project. It’s also a sustainable practice.

Alternatively, if you have time for longer writing sessions, intervals can help structure your time. No matter how long the session, break it into manageable chunks, and steadily increase the time as you build consistency. Timed intervals help give structure to the vastness of open writing time or help you make the most of limited time. Either way, they build momentum and a sense of accomplishment.

The ability to write for hours at a time is a skill you can grow by committing to a regular writing routine. Working through that routine is what will carry you to the finish line of your manuscript and closer to publication.

So, start with just three minutes. Each word, sentence, and paragraph matters. There is no such thing as “too little time” when it comes to making progress.