For some passionate writers, their words flow naturally. But, the most accurate, engaging writers put effort into their approach. Professional writers are proficient at turning an idea into a finished product, which means not being overwhelmed by writers’ block … especially if their day job depends on it.

Keeping those creative juices flowing takes dedication, often in personal leisure time. Below are three tasks a good writer should do on a regular basis.

READ

Every great English, Literature or Journalism teacher told me from a young age, “If you want to write well, you must read.” And they meant read everything, from avant-garde short stories to commercial best sellers to arduous classics. Once you start reading, at least thirty minutes every day, a specific source of material—separate from your normal routine of emails and social media posts—the habit of consuming the written word becomes addicting. You can’t keep yourself from reading every billboard, piece of junk mail or cereal box.

Absorbing all this content, even subconsciously, makes you more informed and thus more relevant at your fancy new writing gig. And don’t hesitate to clip that snippet of information from Sports Illustrated, Vanity Fair, Southern Living or the local daily paper. Those facts might support a future topic you are responsible for addressing. Or a fictional character might inspire a suggestion to your readers on how to tackle a problem.

WRITE

A good writer writes. A great writer writes every day. Whether in a rolled-up paper notebook or the latest mobile tablet that travels with you everywhere, keeping a journal is the key to turning a daily chore into a natural routine. If you find yourself starring at a black page, write any stream of thought that comes to you. It doesn’t have to make sense or be grammatically correct. Those random, quick phrases might one day develop into your most punny, punchy headline.

After days, weeks, months and even years of daily writing, you will have more topics forming in your head than you have time to put them on paper. Those once seemingly random thoughts will become cohesive messages of connected stories and unique situations that you feel confident sharing. If you are truly meant to be a “writer”—of the stuffy, starving-artist variety—your work will mold into a distinct sound with a rhythm all your own.

TALK

Talking to myself out loud often helps me hear the needed tweaks to a message, but that process is more about editing. Surprisingly, brainstorming only takes one mind, which often leads to me explaining to my husband or coworkers that my gaze out a window is another form of writing.

But, if you lockup those ideas in your head, how will you know if they are poignant to someone else? Personally I long for the days of beatnik clubs with people in berets snapping in support. And some bosses might frown at a conference room serving as a venue for a poetry slam with rappers spouting about politics and women’s issues. But, those endless words swirling and whirling in your head need to be anchored down and connected with logical reason. Luckily, at Mopdog I am surrounded by creative, open and expressive team members, who love nothing more than discussing the latest project.