{"id":29590,"date":"2025-06-17T03:00:13","date_gmt":"2025-06-17T10:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=29590"},"modified":"2025-06-12T10:25:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T17:25:17","slug":"habits-of-mind-overview-by-bailey-lang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2025\/06\/17\/habits-of-mind-overview-by-bailey-lang\/","title":{"rendered":"Habits of Mind Overview by Bailey Lang"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Habits<\/a>Today we welcome a new guest writer to Writer\u2019s Fun Zone, Bailey Lang who is stopping by to chat with us about \u201cHabits of Mind Overview.\u201d Enjoy!<\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

By now, we\u2019ve all heard enough<\/strong> about writing habits that we could probably recite the advice in our sleep — write every day, build a consistent schedule, and free-write if we\u2019re feeling stuck.<\/p>\n

A lot of it is good advice, but a lot of it also tends to miss a crucial component.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re going to talk about that component over the next few months. We\u2019re going to talk about habits of mind<\/b>.<\/p>\n

When we think of a writing habit<\/strong>, we typically think of an external activity, like sitting down to write in the morning.<\/p>\n

We might experience an internal cue (or a phone alarm with a reminder) and the glow of having completed a habit loop, but most of our attention is on the star of the show: the habit.<\/p>\n

Habits of mind are different, but they are crucially important for building and maintaining a writing practice. I should know: I wrote my whole dissertation on habits of mind, and there\u2019s an extensive body of research demonstrating their importance to writing.<\/p>\n

What is a Habit of Mind?<\/h2>\n

Before we get into all that, though, what exactly is a \u201chabit of mind\u201d?<\/p>\n

Unlike what we typically think<\/strong> of when we think about habits — external activities — a habit of mind is a thinking practice.<\/p>\n

Habits of mind are a way of engaging with a pursuit (like writing!) that blends the intellectual and the practical.<\/p>\n

You can think of the habits of mind as both foundation and scaffolding for the writing practice you\u2019re trying to build.<\/p>\n

All the writing activities you<\/strong> do will be shaped, first and foremost, by what\u2019s going on with your mental habits.<\/p>\n

How you think determines what you do and how well it goes.<\/p>\n

As writers, we benefit from attending to our habits of mind as much as our external writing habits.<\/p>\n

Focusing on the habits of mind enables us to:<\/h2>\n