If you want to grow as a writer, then there are some habits that are important to develop.
To become a successful writer, however you define success, it’s not what you do every now and again that gets you there. Like in every other part of life, it’s what you do as a habit that really counts. I could quote countless pieces of wisdom old and new that stress the importance of small daily deeds. However, enough of words and let us to deeds, as JRRT would have put it. Let’s get practical. I will take it that you already know mottoes and proverbs like “Many a mickle makes a muckle,” and you want to learn and develop some practical habits that will help you become a writer.
Write: The word “writer” means someone who writes, so this habit is an absolute must. Numerous best-selling authors, such as David Eddings and others, tell you that you need to write every day if you want to be a “real” writer. This is the ideal, as there will always be days when your nine-to-five job dishes out a deadline, days when you’re sick or your children are sick, your mother’s birthday and other parts of real life that prevent you from writing every single day, just like they get in the way of other healthy habits such as exercise.
Having daily writing time should be the norm rather than a special treat.
All the same, daily writing is what we need to strive for as writers. Having daily writing time should be the norm rather than a special treat. Set aside a slot of your regular day for writing – it could be morning, it could be the evening, it could be when the kids are down for an after-lunch nap. Then do your best to do at least something writerly during that time: writing, editing, planning, character-building… Beware of spending too much time making Pinterest boards for your characters, though!
Tip: Set a weekly target for what you want to achieve – say, 1500 words per week or completing one chapter or logging X hours or whatever’s feasible for you.
The more you understand about the real world, the more you’ll be able to make up your own.
Read: All writers are lovers of books and the written word, so read, read, read! Naturally, if you, like me, love fantasy fiction, that’s what you’ll read. This will give you an idea of the tropes, the conventions and the archetypes – and the clichés that have been done to death. However, don’t just read within your genre; try others as well.
As a fantasy writer, you’ll need to have plenty of raw material to use in world-building, so make sure you read plenty of non-fiction as well (and watch a few documentaries). The more you understand about the real world, the more you’ll be able to make up your own. Read a wide range of non-fiction: from history books to hunting magazines, atlases to astronomy, motoring to mathematics, and survival manuals to self-sufficiency guides. You’ll find plenty of inspiration as well!
Develop the habit of noticing the details of the world around you, especially the natural world.
Observe: Vivid writing that comes alive in the mind of the reader is writing seasoned with a good helping of details. Many of these details will be drawn from the real world or at least based on the real world. Develop the habit of noticing the details of the world around you, especially the natural world. Spend time looking at the clouds and the way the wind stirs the leaves. Touch different fabrics in a store and try to put the difference between cotton and wool into words. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds around you. Identify the different smells coming from the different stores in the mall – leather from the furniture store, perfume from the pharmacy, fake peppermint and vanilla from the ice cream outlet…
All life experiences that you can get can go into your fiction and make it richer.
Get Your Hands Dirty: This is where I’m going to sound like your mother; in fact, if you’re a college-aged writer, I’m old enough to be your mother. Some details that you can pick up can only be discovered actively rather than passively. This means that you’ll have to go beyond reading books and writing regularly, and actually get a bit of real life experience. This is one place where Google can’t help you. Get away from the screen and try your hand at a few things. Sure, if you write fantasy fiction, you can’t ride into battle on the back of a dragon, but you can learn to ride a horse. Try some old-fashioned handcrafts. Pick and dry some herbs and make tea with them. Learn first aid. Light a fire without matches and cook a stew over it. Get hold of a fresh fish, then gut and scale it. All life experiences that you can get can go into your fiction and make it richer.