I'm taking today off, damnit.

No. You obviously did overtime on your WIP this past two weeks. Sometimes you just know when enough is enough and you need some space. You're doing the right thing.

When I feel that way there is usually something else my subconscience is telling me needs done. At the moment it is the last proposal to my Canadian publisher. I can't work on the WIP until I have worked that to my satisfaction.

Last time it was because there was a problem with the plot - a weakness I hadn't noticed (but my subcinscience had). So as well as needing a rest, it might be a hint to go back over the heaps of writing you've done in the last two weeks.

No. I take regular breaks. Helps to re-focus. Today was crap for me and I knew it would be impossible to write something decent. Back to being beer night.

JJ

SHIT!!! I'm thinking of taking today off just because you are!!!!

No! That would be my answer. Go ahead get some fresh air, kick back and relax,
hugs, sweetie

Nope. But I'm able to use reverse psychology and tell myself "Under no circumstances are you to write today!" and then I'm like "Oh, yeah? Who do you think you are telling me what to do?" and then the words start flowing.

Nicole

Even full-time writers take days off. Honest. I've read about on the blogs of some of my favorite authors. Go enjoy yourself.

I know myself. When in the middle of a project, I can't afford to take a day off for less than a fullscale emergency. So I would have sat down and written for an hour.

However, you know yourself, and you gave yourself a day off. No big deal. Just don't let it happen again.

writer's fatigue. Take the day off. You earned it.

Plus, the day off doesn't even count unless you ENJOY it without guilt!

Holy crap! Now you'll NEVER be a writer! What in God's name were you thinking!

Seriously, if you have any guilt pangs about taking one day off from your wip, after having your nose to the grindstone as you have described, you probably NEEDED a day away from the thing.

But, I'm gonna go ahead and do two days worth of writing, now, so that I get rich and famous one day before you

Take a day to recharge and then get back to work.

Nope. It really helps to take breaks, actually and it can be destructive to force yourself to write. I think the best work comes about when you really feel like writing, not when you feel you have to write.

I write every day because I have to... not stuff I like to write, but stuff I'm expected to write. But I've noticed over the past five years or so that I reach a state of readiness to write, and I've learned not to try to either force it or deny it. If it's not there, I can crank something out, but usually wind up revising it all beyond recognition anyway when I'm really ready.

Do I endorse the concept of taking a day off for its own sake? You bet... but I find the resolve doesn't matter if you realize you're ready in the middle of a day off... and, if I write when I'm not ready, I might as well have taken the day off.

I hope the day off did you good, Willowmound. Now, back to work, slacker.

I would have written anyway.

Because if there's one thing I know about myself, it's that if I let any bad habit creep into my routine, it will quickly become the norm.

This is why I set a somewhat "low" quota for myself, of 10kb (about 1700 words). I know I could usually write more, but I don't want to wear myself out or turn it into something tedious. I actually used to write about twice as much a day until I would find myself struggling. Half as much is so much easier. It's easier to write when you HAVE to stop yourself from continuing!

Regarding sticking to the quota, no matter how low, or taking a break, I take breaks now and then but I honestly can't do it whenever I just feel too tired or whatever to write. Otherwise I would never get any writing done.

In your case though I don't think this applies because as you said, you've been writing like crazy prior to the break anyway!