In this episode, see if you can hear my cat meow! The sneaky little guy got two meows into the final take.
This week, we’re tackling one of the big myths of writing. A common piece of advice given to new writers is to write every day. But do you really need to? Let’s dive into why this advice is given and how writers can make a plan that works for them.
There are some good reasons why experienced writers might tell a newer writer to write every day. There are so many ways to learn about writing, from books to conferences, to podcasts like this one. But none of those things matter if you aren’t actually writing. Writing every day means you’re getting some hands-on experience every single day, which makes it more likely that you’ll learn and improve at a good pace.
It also helps you develop good habits. It trains you to write on a regular basis, and that can help you complete projects in a timely manner. It also trains your brain to think about your stories, even when you’re not writing. If you do something every day, it’s on your mind and in the back of your mind during moments of downtime, like in the shower, when you’re apt to have a great idea.
But many newer writers, when they hear this advice (or the terrible proclamation that real writers write every day) hit a roadblock. They know that for whatever reason writing every single day is going to be hard or impossible for them. They stumble. They might even give up.
The truth is you don’t need to write every day. (And if you are writing, you are a real writer, no matter what anyone says.) But you do need a plan for your writing habits.
Personally, I try not to write on weekends and not on holidays or vacations, but I do write every weekday, even if it’s just a small amount. I also consider “writing” to be any step in the process, not just drafting. I might be brainstorming plot points or revising during my writing time, but I’m doing something to move my writing forward. If you have a busy life without much flexibility, your plan might be less frequent. Maybe Tuesday evening is your writing time or Saturday morning. Maybe it’s as long as a few hours. Or maybe it’s only ten minutes. Any plan is good as long as you have one. And that you schedule breaks (yes, sick days, including mental health days can and should be breaks too).
What I don’t recommend is waiting around for your muse to show up. The muse is a fickle thing.. unless she’s trained. If you wait on her, she’ll let you work in big bursts but then leave a project perhaps for months. By that time, you’re no longer deeply in the story and it will take you more time to remember where you were and get back up to speed. But if you set a regular time, your muse may balk at first, you may have to write material you know you’re going to toss for a while, but eventually she’ll learn to show up too.
So no you don’t have to write every day. And real writers, they write how it works best for them. But a plan is probably a wiser move than waiting for inspiration.
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