Is “Write Every Day” Good Advice?

Write Every Day

It’s oft-given advice for aspiring writers. If you want to become a good writer, you should write every day. Sounds like simple, practical advice. But is it?

That depends.

I know writers who work best when given concrete goals. For them Write Every Day might be exactly the kick in the butt they need to keep motivated. I know other writers whose creativity shuts down when faced with an inflexible goal like Write Every Day, because sooner or later (probably sooner) life will get in the way and they will miss their daily quota. Guilt will set in and before they know it they have become disillusioned and quit writing altogether.

So, if Write Every Day is not always good advice, why is it given so frequently?

The intent behind the words

“Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up.” – Jane Yolen

Writers are advised to write every day because, as the quote indicates, good writers know the benefits of developing a habit of writing consistently.

Three reasons this is important:

• Practice makes us better. Like any skill, the more we practice writing, the better we get.
• A consistent writing habit helps us overcome Resistance. We can find a million excuses to avoid writing. A consistent routine helps us get our butts in the chair and words on the screen.
• Keeping our head in the project increases the flow of ideas. Creativity doesn’t just happen. Many factors come into play that increase or decrease our ability to think creatively. Tapping into our creative thinking regularly will encourage the subconscious linkages that lead to inspiration.

How can you develop the habit of writing consistently without the burden of Write Every Day?

By adopting strategies that help you make writing a priority while allowing flexibility to adapt to the realities of life.

Here are some to try:

Know your “why” and honor your passions

Joy is a stronger motivator than guilt, fear, or duty. Start by defining why you want to write. Keep your “why” fresh in your mind and let it motivate you. Also know what you love about writing. If watching characters come alive is your thing, forcing yourself to journal may not be productive. Neither will writing science articles if your heart is set on world-building or romance. It’s easier to be consistent when you are doing the kind of writing that feeds your soul and inspires your creativity.

Ease into writing

Starting is often the hardest part of writing. Many writers have discovered that beginning their time with a creative writing prompt loosens the writing muscles and gets things flowing. It’s less intimidating than jumping right into their “serious writing work.” (One writing friend calls this approach “sneaking in the back door.”) If you hate the idea of “wasting” time that could be spent on “real” work, here’s a trick: Use writing prompts strategically. Adapt a writing prompt so it applies to some aspect of your work-in-progress. Then you can ease into writing while simultaneously accomplishing something that directly impacts your current manuscript.

The percentage strategy

Instead of making specific time goals, one friend assesses each day to see how much time is available. Then she takes the available minutes and divides it between writing time and other work. For example, if she had three hours and she allotted 25% to writing, she would write for forty-five minutes. Some days she has more. Some days she has less. Some days she has no time for writing. Life happens. The percentage method allows a flexibility that has breathed grace and renewed motivation into her writing life.  Note: My friend has found that this system works best when she does her writing before she tackles other tasks.

Broaden your definition of writing

When I am working on a rough draft, I find a goal of writing two-thousand words a day keeps me chugging along. But what about the bulk of my writing life when I am outlining or revising instead of filling blank pages? I broaden my definition of writing to include all creative thinking that is connected to the writing process. Editing, rewriting, plotting, outlining, character sketches, doodling while dreaming up new ideas… All of it involves exercising my creative muscles, so I say it counts. This helps me remain motivated instead of frustrated at a perceived lack of output.

What about you? What keeps you from writing consistently?

Which strategies have helped you develop a more consistent writing habit?

Lisa E. Betz believes that everyone has a story to tell the world. She loves to encourage fellow writers to be intentional about their craft and courageous in sharing their words with others. Lisa shares her words through dramas, Bible studies, historical mysteries, and her blog about intentional living. You can find her on Facebook  LisaEBetzWriter and Twitter @LisaEBetz