Welcome to part three of our series on the characteristics of successful, sustainable academic writers. In the previous episodes, we covered the importance of time management and developing a writer’s identity. Today, we’re tackling the third key trait: writing first.
This idea is simple yet transformative, but, as with most things in life, there are plenty of excuses and counterarguments about why it isn’t feasible. I’ve heard them all: "I’m not a morning person," "I have too many commitments," "I need to check my email first," or "I can’t write until I’ve sorted my life out." In today’s post, we’ll address these objections and discuss why writing first thing is essential for a successful academic career.
The Common Objections: Why People Avoid Writing First
When I encourage my clients to write first thing, I often hear reasons why they can't—or shouldn't—follow this advice. One common excuse is, "I have kids to look after in the morning," or "I’m a night owl, so I can't focus until late in the day." While I understand that people's schedules and preferences differ, I want to challenge the idea that writing can't be your first priority.
Writing first doesn’t mean you have to roll out of bed and immediately start typing away. It doesn’t even mean you have to write first thing after you wake up. What it does mean is that, as soon as you start your working day, writing should be the first task you tackle. If you have a family to care for or other morning responsibilities, that’s fine—just make sure that, once those are done, your first task is writing. I know that is not what you WANT to do - instead you want to open your email, and that is why you have a writing problem.
One of the most common excuses I hear is that people feel the need to "ease into work" with tasks that don’t require as much mental energy. Things like checking emails or preparing for meetings seem like low-effort tasks compared to writing. But that’s exactly why writing first is so important. Writing requires bandwidth and focus—qualities that are easiest to access before the day’s distractions creep in.
Writing is Not the ‘Difficult’ Task
There’s a famous productivity principle called "Eat the Frog," which suggests doing the most difficult task first. Some people think writing is difficult, and that’s why they delay it. But I want to challenge that assumption. Writing doesn’t have to be difficult—it just requires focus, a good writing process and really knowing what you are doing each day, coming to the table with all the tools. We think it is hard because we turn out with none of those things, and hope for the best. We push it aside in favour of other tasks that are easier to deal with in the short term.
The Real Problem: Procrastination and the "Not in the Mood" Trap
Another common objection I hear is, "I don’t feel like writing first thing in the morning." The truth is, these feelings are just procrastination in disguise. Accomplished writers don’t wait for feelings. They take action, and the feelings follow. When we say "I don’t feel like it," what we’re really saying is "I’m not willing to do the difficult work." But writing, like all aspects of academic work, is not about waiting for the perfect moment or for inspiration to strike. It’s about showing up and doing the work consistently, regardless of how we feel.
It’s important to recognise that we’re not always going to "feel like" writing. The key to overcoming this is to commit to the task and do it anyway. If you only write when you’re in the mood, you’ll never build a sustainable writing practice. But if you make writing the first task of your day, you eliminate the need for motivation. You just get started, and the words flow.
How to Create a Non-Negotiable Writing Routine
Writing first should be a non-negotiable part of your day. In the same way that you schedule your classes or meetings, you need to schedule your writing time. And just like you don’t cancel meetings or ignore your teaching obligations, you shouldn’t allow yourself to skip your writing session. If you’re someone who struggles with keeping writing time consistent, I recommend blocking out a specific time each morning for writing—say, from 9 to 11 AM. This time should be protected, meaning no meetings, no checking emails, no social media distractions. During this time, your sole focus should be on writing—whether that’s drafting, editing, note-taking, or doing research.
At first, this might feel like dragging a sack of rocks up a hill. But with consistency, it will become a habit, and writing will feel like an integral part of your routine. And remember, you don’t need to do this all on your own. Having a support system in place—whether that’s a coach, accountability partner, or structured writing sessions—can make a world of difference.
Tackling the "Meeting in the Morning" Myth
One of the most common things I hear from academics is that they teaching scheduled first thing in the morning, which they can’t avoid. I understand that there are things outside your control, and you can schedule your writing after this, giving yourself a 15-20 minute cool down period between but you must not open your email. Sit there and stare at the wall, I don’t care. Email is a productivity killer and will derail your focus.
Writing as a Professional Commitment
If you truly want to be a successful academic writer, you need to treat writing as part of your professional identity. Just as you wouldn’t schedule a meeting during your teaching hours, you shouldn’t allow writing to be sidelined by other tasks. Writing first is the behaviour of a professional academic writer—someone who shows up every day, ready to write, and gets the job done. As you start to make writing first part of your daily routine, you’ll find that it becomes easier to stick with it. That reinforces the writing identity and it all works together to create an environment where writing gets prioritised. The key is consistency. If you make the commitment to write every day, and you follow through with it, you’ll soon develop the habit of prioritising writing in your workday. This is the secret to writing success.
In the next episode, we’ll cover the fourth and final trait of successful academic writers: the commitment to improving your writing skills continuously. But for now, I challenge you to take the next two weeks and make writing your first task of the day. Protect this time and commit to it. You’ll be amazed at how much more productive and focused you become, and how much easier it is to sustain a successful writing practice.
Let me know how it goes—I’d love to hear about your experiences as you make writing first a non-negotiable part of your daily routine!