How to Create a Morning Writing Routine for NaNoWriMo

As we dive into NaNo Prep season, we’ve talked to some participants to get the inside scoop on how to best prepare for November. Today, Benjamin Spall, co-author of My Morning Routine: How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired, shares how to set yourself up for success by creating a morning writing routine:

The surest path to success during NaNoWriMo comes in the little things you do every day. When all is said and done, succeeding at NaNoWriMo requires you to create a daily writing routine—and stick with it.

Opinion varies on when you should write, but I’m here to advocate for a morning writing routine. Over the past five years, I have interviewed over three-hundred successful individuals about their morning routines, including many famous writers, authors, and even NaNoWriMo’s own Grant Faulkner.

During this time, and while writing my book full of exclusive interviews and advice on how to get started with a morning routine, my co-author and I began to notice some clear trends surrounding how the most productive and successful writers spend their first few morning hours.

Here is what we’ve learned about creating a morning writing routine.