Strange but reliable writing habits that actually work

Sometimes the weird stuff works best. Here's what's helping me stay focused...

I’m sitting in the cafe at Central Market in Austin, hiding behind my laptop, a salted caramel affogato beside me, and my Deep Focus playlist in my ears while the Sunday crowd buzzes around. 

Full disclosure: I'm gonna be a bit gentler than usual in this newsletter. Consider it a literary hug before we get back to my regular pragmatic self next week.

Last week, I went quiet. Sometimes, not adding to the noise is exactly what we need. (Plus, I had an unexpected root canal on election day. There’s definitely a metaphor in there somewhere, make of it what you will.)

Two things matter most right now: the people we love and how we spend our attention. 

First, the people. Text your friends more. Call your Aunt Jo, who may not live to see a woman in the White House. Hug the humans you love a little longer. I know this isn't my usual book marketing and writing advice, but this is an important time to love and support your people intentionally.

Second, and this is crucial for writers, take control of your attention and focus. Don't let media, notifications, or endless news cycles hijack your creative energy. Your attention is yours to protect and direct.

Rick Rubin writes, "Give yourself the space to create without interruption. The creative act requires continuity of attention." 

After spending 2020 figuring out how to write through chaos, I've found two paths that help create that space. One helps clear your mind so you can be present for your people and your work. 

The other helps protect the attention you need for both.

Path One: Clear Your Head First

Let me tell you about Morning Pages - a practice from Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way" that I've returned to multiple times when life gets chaotic. Having worked through her book three times over the years, I know firsthand how powerful this tool can be for clearing mental space.

Here's what it is: three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. No editing, no censoring, no stopping to think about what you're writing.

It doesn't matter if your grammar is awful or if you're just complaining about your neighbor's chihuahua barking incessantly for three pages straight.

The point is to clear your head of all the thoughts, worries, stress, and remnants of dreams cluttering your creative space.

Sometimes, getting through those pages feels like you've dipped your pen in molasses. The first page can feel like pulling teeth.

But other days? Five pages of something tugging at your subconscious for months can spill over the page. Mysterious. Cathartic. Super helpful.

The science tells us that writing about our struggles for four consecutive days actually builds resilience. So, a four-day stretch when you're feeling scattered can shift things. 

Think of Morning Pages as preparation for Path Two. When you dump your worries, to-do list, and random thoughts onto the page first, you're creating space for focused attention later. 

You've already given those mental interruptions their time - now they're less likely to ambush you during your writing hours.

Path Two: Guard Your Attention

Once you've cleared your mental space (whether through Morning Pages or just a good night's sleep), it's time to protect it. 

Your attention is yours—not the media's, not the notification bells, not the endless scrolls. 

I protect my best writing hours (10am to 1pm) like a sacred agreement. Phone goes in another room. One tab condenses my 49 open tabs. (Don’t judge.) My Deep Focus playlist signals my brain it's time to work.

🎧 And about those playlists—since 2020, I've been curating what I call my "shut up and write" collections. All instrumental: shamanic drumming (stay with me here), nature sounds (think rainforest), classical piano and guitar, and meditation music.

When that first track plays, something clicks into place, and I settle in. 

Why Smart Writers Still Use Paper

✒️ You know what Neil Gaiman does before he turns to his laptop to write his next book? He fills notebooks - entire first drafts written by hand. He says it’s his way of slowing down enough to stay in the story.

And his advice: Leuchtturm notebooks over Moleskines and Visconti fountain pens. 

He might be onto something. When you're writing by hand, you can't check Substack "real quick" or fall down a research rabbit hole. It's just you, the pen, and the page. Whether you're doing Morning Pages or brainstorming your newsletter, there's a different kind of focus that happens with analog tools.

📓 I keep two notebooks on my desk: one for Morning Pages (nothing fancy, just a basic composition book) and another for newsletter drafts and ideas (I'm pickier about this one - good paper makes writing feel less like a chore).

The Simplest Focus Tool You're Not Using

Speaking of protecting your attention and focus, there's one more practice that's surprisingly powerful for writers. It's not fancy or expensive, and you're already doing it (but probably not in a way that helps your writing): conscious breathing.

I know breathwork might seem unexpected in a writing newsletter, but hear me out - it's one of the most effective tools I've found for maintaining focus in chaotic times.

After three minutes of conscious breathing, I can feel my shoulders drop away from my ears, and my brain shifts from panic mode to 'okay, maybe we can handle this' mode.

If you want to dip your toe in the water,

Candice Lazar

writes A Breath Well Taken to help you discover how to optimize your breath for whatever situation life may throw at you. And she does it with humor and great writing!

If you want to go a little deeper, my friend Saci McDonald is an experienced practitioner and holds virtual breathwork circles twice a week. You can check them out here.

Find Your Path (Pick What Works, Skip What Doesn’t)

Here’s my suggestion: pick one path based on what you need most right now. If you're feeling scattered and disconnected, start with Morning Pages - they'll help you process what's happening and create clearer mental space for relationships and writing. 

If you're struggling to focus when you sit down to write, experiment with attention management— set boundaries around your time so you can be fully present for your work.

Or mix and match - there are no rules here. The goal is to find practices that help you stay grounded enough to do both: maintain meaningful connections and create meaningful work.

📚 I'll host a very low-key November chat about this. The emphasis is on low-key. Choose your path, and show up for the Thursday chat to connect with other writers who are creating new writing habits.

Here’s a quick recap of the tools to support you when so many outside influences fragment your energy and attention. 

Choose one practice to focus on this month:

👉Morning Pages (clear mental space before the world rushes in)

👉Guardrails around your writing time (protect what's precious)

👉News boundaries using Freedom App or One Tab (control the chaos)

👉Experimenting with breathwork (ground yourself anywhere, anytime)

👉Create your own Deep Focus playlist (train your brain to settle in)

Here’s what I'm doing:

Morning Pages at 9 am, followed by three hours of focused writing with my playlist and One Tab running guard duty. 

But mostly, I'm showing up in the chat here on Thursdays because writing alone is hard enough right now.

We're all figuring this out together. So, if you want to check out my Deep Focus playlist to inspire you to create your own, here you go! 

Until Thursday,

P.S. Drop a comment below if you're planning to join us - or what questions you have. Building good writing habits is easier when we do it together.