Eight things I do before I write to be a better writer

Why do anything worth doing when we’re not in the zone?

When we write, we want to give ourselves the best advantage we can.

When I write distracted, agitated, rushed and tired, I may — through some miracle — manage to write something.

But usually, it won’t be much good. It will stray too far from the truth and deliver words that fail to connect with the reader.

Over time, I have written awful things and better things. I’ve seen what influences better writing, and what pollutes it.

So, I have become better at doing the things that benefit my state and my writing before I begin.

Beyond the obvious of being well-rested and not being (too) drunk, when I have the discipline to include them, these are those things:

1. I am usually a better writer, and almost always a better thinker, when I have recently exercised.

Running, walking, swimming, tennis, weights, ideally with stretching. When oxygenated blood is still pumping around my circuits, the brain is activated.

If I don’t get round to some engaged movement beforehand, I am at a disadvantage. It’s as simple as that.