There’s no denying the mass amount of stereotypes and assumptions surrounding writers. We all stay inside our own writing cave and hardly interact with others. We never share our work. We’re all shy, introverted, artistic types. Movies of the 80s and 90s had us dressed in black turtlenecks, hiding out the smoky basements of coffee shops or bookstores reading angsty poetry.

Of course, these stereotypes and cliches are often not that true (though I will personally admit to writing at coffee shops and wearing a turtleneck here and there). All writers are different in their habits and their mannerisms. The writing process is different for everyone. We have our own genres, our own spaces we like to write in, and things we like to do with our writing. "Writer" can’t be put into a singular category or way of writing. That being said, there are four writing practices, no matter what type of writer we are, that we should all consider working into our writing lifestyles.

1. Share your work.

Sharing your work is an integral part of the writing process that is stereotypically ignored by most writers. The stereotype is that all writers keep their works to themselves, keeping journals of poetry and book ideas hidden in a box under their bed. Even in college, a few of my fellow professional writing majors still have little experience with sharing their work, or even still get nervous about getting workshopped by a group of people.

Sharing your work, your emotions or even just putting yourself out there is, granted, a bit terrifying — but it is entirely necessary in the writing process. Not only does it get you used to the idea that someday you might have an entire readership, but you garner valuable opinions and reactions from the people you share your work with. Once you put your work out there, you’ll finally learn how people react to it — whether they like it, whether the work falls a little flat. In a workshop setting, your readers can give you valuable critiques and suggestions to further improve the piece. By sharing your work, the opinions and suggestions of others will only work to strengthen your piece and make you learn more about yourself as a writer. You will learn what works in your writing and what could possibly be looked at.

2. Get used to receiving criticism and using it in revision.

When you share your work, as I said, you will clearly get critiques, or advice about strengthening certain factors or certain sections of your writing. They key is to listen to those critiques and use them for the benefit of your writing.

I know, yes, it can be hard to hear someone tell you that they didn’t automatically love a piece that’s near and dear to your heart. A lot of people rebuff the constructive criticism they receive because they don’t want to listen — they don’t want to admit their piece is anything but perfect. Though differing opinions will always help your writing develop. People may have ideas you didn’t, and, as I said before, they can help you grow. Thus, writers need to get into the practice of receiving criticism. Open yourself up for critique, ask people to be honest. Don’t talk over people who are giving you advice. Just listen fully and write down the advice you are receiving. Tell them thank you, and then, when you sit down to revise your piece, don’t dismiss what they said. Consider it with an open mind. Once you become used to this process, once you become open, your work will thank you in the long run.

In addition to taking the advice, as I just pointed out, you need to use it in revision. One of the biggest parts of writing is editing and revising your work. Your writing may not be the best it can be on the first draft. Often the third draft, or even the fifth draft, will contain golden lines and concepts that make your writing better. As a writer, you need to admit your writing can always find room for improvement or necessary adjustment, and you need to get into the habit of revision. Critically analyze your piece, look at the sections that aren’t as strong as others, and take the advice people have given you about the piece and touch it up.

Think about it this way: no book you’ve read is the first draft of that book. Your work can always be edited, even if there are only small fixes that need to be made. Get into the habit now of always revising your work.

3. Writing almost everyday — and producing a piece of work every week.

My first day of college, the Professional Writing Program Director at Champlain College gave me a mug that said “Make time to write.” He told us that making time to write every day, and committing to at least get something down on the page, will get us in the habit of writing, increase our writing stamina and improve our writing through practice. I couldn’t agree more.

While it is hard to find time to write every day, finding time to journal down something fun you did that day, or even a thought you had, works to keep your hands and mind practiced. You can write a short poem every day, or commit to writing 200 words of a story every day. By writing daily, you are practicing your craft. When you write every day, you’re being creative every day, and you're getting in the habit of having new ideas all the time. You’ll find that you’ll have more stamina to write, your writing might come easier to you and ideas might come easier to you.

In addition to what the Director said, I’ve found that producing a piece of completed work once a week has helped my stamina as a writer. Every week at Odyssey, I get to produce a work. By making myself write to finish a piece for Odyssey every week, my motivation and persistence with my writing has gone up by tenfold. By not only writing daily, but finishing a work of any kind, you get into the habit of completing works, and you increase your ability to be able to continually write — a beneficial quality in an author or a professional writer.

4. Reading.

If you’ve ever been in a writing class, you’ve most likely have always been told to read in order to be a good writer. While, like I have said in a previous article, I’m not sure I agree with the entire sentiment, reading does help inspire your own writing. By reading, not only do we see what potentially works as productive writing in certain styles of writing, we can garner inspiration from other writers. I know when I read a piece from one of my classmates, or a new novel I picked up at the store, I often get motivated to do my own writing. I see the words of others, and I remember the words inside of me, and I suddenly have to get them out. By reading, we expose ourselves to examples of “good” writing (well, depending on what you are reading) and we can find the inspiration to start writing.

By working these simple routines and exercises into your writing life, you may possibly see changes. Maybe you’ll have a greater urge to write. Maybe you’ll start writing 1,000 words a sitting instead of 100. Maybe you’ll suddenly see a new potential for a metaphor to be woven into an old piece. By getting in the habit of doing these simple things, your writing self might just thank you in the long run.