Those of you that don't write every day

KTC · Dec 14, 2017

I am literally the laziest writer on the planet. I marathon my novels over weekends, or a course of weekends...and then do nothing for sometimes weeks. I have never been motivated in life. By anything, really. I am deeply passionate about writing...but only if I can spend insane chunks of time on it at a time. 72 hours = 50,000 words...and then nothing for weeks. My motivation often comes from commitments and deadlines. My agent just told me she was looking for a novel...so I wrote one. Went to a cottage two weekends in a row and pounded one out. Then for a week I edited like mad...three passes...then sent it. NOW----I will vegetate for a while and be lousy with the lazy.

SciSarahTops · Dec 14, 2017

KTC said:
I am literally the laziest writer on the planet. I marathon my novels over weekends, or a course of weekends...and then do nothing for sometimes weeks. I have never been motivated in life. By anything, really. I am deeply passionate about writing...but only if I can spend insane chunks of time on it at a time. 72 hours = 50,000 words...and then nothing for weeks. My motivation often comes from commitments and deadlines. My agent just told me she was looking for a novel...so I wrote one. Went to a cottage two weekends in a row and pounded one out. Then for a week I edited like mad...three passes...then sent it. NOW----I will vegetate for a while and be lousy with the lazy.

Binge writing, nice!

Atlantic12 · Dec 15, 2017

I don't write every day. I love it, but it's still a job, and I don't believe any job should be done 7 days a week except raising your kids. It just leads to burnout.

I write on weekdays and almost always take weekends off unless I have a deadline coming up. Then I might do a few hours on a Saturday. Sunday is for me and my family.

The whole "write every day" thing is fine if it fits your lifestyle and temperament. But I think it can make some of us forget that we're supposed to be living our lives, and that there are more important things than the stories we write. Yes, there are! For me it's my husband and kids, and I choose to make them my priority on weekends. They need me to be present and *there* which is hard sometimes because my head is constantly with my characters and plots. I need the rest too. That said, every single day over my morning coffee I jot down ideas for editing or what I need to do with the story the next time I sit down to it. So I am in touch with my work every day if even for a short time, and no word count gets done.

SciSarahTops · Dec 15, 2017

Atlantic12 said:
I don't write every day. I love it, but it's still a job, and I don't believe any job should be done 7 days a week except raising your kids. It just leads to burnout.

I write on weekdays and almost always take weekends off unless I have a deadline coming up. Then I might do a few hours on a Saturday. Sunday is for me and my family.

The whole "write every day" thing is fine if it fits your lifestyle and temperament. But I think it can make some of us forget that we're supposed to be living our lives, and that there are more important things than the stories we write. Yes, there are! For me it's my husband and kids, and I choose to make them my priority on weekends. They need me to be present and *there* which is hard sometimes because my head is constantly with my characters and plots. I need the rest too. That said, every single day over my morning coffee I jot down ideas for editing or what I need to do with the story the next time I sit down to it. So I am in touch with my work every day if even for a short time, and no word count gets done.

Interesting, for me that would count as writing every day.

WiseScarab · Dec 15, 2017

I generally have to be in a similar mood to where I planned to go with my writing, in the case of when I am focused on a novel. Else more or less real life just creeps into things, and sometimes it is hard to get settled.

WriterBN · Dec 15, 2017

Atlantic12 said:
The whole "write every day" thing is fine if it fits your lifestyle and temperament. But I think it can make some of us forget that we're supposed to be living our lives, and that there are more important things than the stories we write.

This, x 1000. Usually, when I see that advice dispensed, it's by someone who writes full time or doesn't have to worry about a day job. Everyone's situation is different, and you have to do what works for you.

I try to write most days, but there are some days when family health issues, life crises, or other stuff just doesn't allow it.

Snitchcat · Dec 30, 2017

Definitely don't physically write every day. Part of that is the job and my living environment; another part is enjoying downtime and getting some sleep. It's all related. However, even when not physically writing, I do think about the story and mull over plot issues. By the time I can get back to physically writing the story, I have my plot issues resolved and can move forwards with the story.

So, I think I've found a balance between physical balance and thinking about the story for myself.

caroline.q · Jan 1, 2018

As someone who does not have a day job and does write full time, I do not write everyday. I never have. I would get totally burnt out if I made myself write like 1600 words a day which I did for NaNo.
Usually I’ll sit in front of the computer everyday and do SOMETHING writing related whether it’s research or tweaking my outline. That’s enough for me. For the days that I do get words down, it may be 500 or it may be 3000. I try to maintain at least 500 on days that I do write. I write probably 4 or 5 days out of the week depending on the week.

As others have said, I don’t like the idea of letting my writing take over my life. I love it obviously, but sometimes I need to just veg out or I need a mental health week. I can maintain a deadline, but I don’t to it in a super structured way because I’d go crazy.

morngnstar · Jan 1, 2018

I'd write every day if I didn't have a full-time job. It takes me a little while to get into writing flow, and the results aren't often good if I just sit down to write for half an hour at a time. But I do make sure to put in a little writing time on the weekdays to keep myself involved in the story. Then I binge on the weekends.

fatalb86 · Jan 1, 2018

I got into writing last year and tried the whole daily thing but in time fell off. In the end I was writing in burst and bits here and there. I'm now experimenting with writing only on weekdays and keeping weekend's free. In my case I know I need to write consistently to develop discipline and make steady progress (which I need for encouragement) but at the same time I feel being too strict will burn me out. Additionally, I set my daily bar to just 400-500 words or an hour (whichever comes first).

Layla Nahar · Jan 1, 2018

I'd like to write 4-5 days a week (as was indention up-thread, working 7-days a week is not wise), but recently I have been writing every day (that is, adding good sentences to a story) because I stopped writing for a while, and my life currently has a lot of stress. Previously, it was all I could do to manage the urgent things, but I've decided that I don't want to keep letting the difficult things deprive me of doing things that add to my happiness. So, while my ambition is to become able to write less frequently (and in larger amounts) for now I'm happy if all I do is add three sentences to a story today. It's better than letting the blank page win. So my 'write every day' is a way of keeping a promise to myself, and giving my Inner Author time in the driver's seat, so to speak.

vicky271 · Jan 1, 2018

I'm consistently brainstorming and keeping my ears out for something that could inspire a section of my AU. Simultaneously, I participate in a few fandoms and spend time developing OC's for fandom universes. Even when i'm not writing, I'm working on another part of the process, or practicing.

Unfortunately, writing quality is determined by inspiration and motivation. If there is none, the writing will be terrible. So I can't write unless I want to.

Odile_Blud · Jan 1, 2018

ADHD. My attention span simply won't allow me to write everyday. I try to get something down at least a few times a week, but (especially since I write on my computer)I'm very easily distracted and I have a hard time sitting still. On the side of that, I tend to jump from story to story because I have a hard time focusing on one idea at a time. Maybe it's not so bad. There were quite a number of unfinished books Mark Twain had laying around (almost makes me wonder if he had ADHD).

To add to that, I also am attending University. For the last 7 years since I graduated high school, I really only had work to worry about, so I could come home and get straight to my computer, but now that I'm in school, I've got class, studying, and I've also been searching for a new job. All that, and getting used to the new change of things, but since Christmas break, I've been able to get some words down.

rwm4768 · Jan 2, 2018

I've tried to write every day, and I can keep it going for a month or two, but that's it. Eventually, I burn out, and then I'll go a long time without writing.

I've found that setting a monthly goal of something like 30,000 words works better for me. That comes out to 1,000 words a day, but I don't have to write every day if I just don't have it in me.

I didn't quite meet that goal this last year. I wanted 360,000 words a year, and I came in at 320,000. Still, that's close enough that I'm not too upset about it.

ambmae · Jan 4, 2018

Sometimes I'm writing every day, but when I'm editing a manuscript our researching for a new project writing every day isn't practical. I'm a SAHM to three young kids and the only time I can focus long enough to get anything done is before they wake up. My usual alarm goes off at 5:30, I do a thirty minute morning ritual, then writing related things until they get up around seven. In order to write every day I would have to get up even earlier. I like sleep too much for that to happen.

textcat · Jan 4, 2018

I do low stakes writing, a no pressure writing "practice." I like that low stakes takes away any shame and is not a "you must" but a "you could." It is a daily writing practice that allows any writing to count as writing every day. Even if it is just one word. Write something, anything that comes to mind whether brilliant or profound or just ordinary random words. The link explaining low stakes writing is here if you are not familiar with this:

https://micheleberger.wordpress.com...y-writing-and-how-it-can-transform-your-year/

Like the author of this blog essay, I now have a year's worth of random ideas, lists and prompts that I often use when I'm stuck for ideas for "real" writing, which somehow gets done too. I started this last year at the beginning of the year and am doing it again this year.

I also try to do something literary every day. If I don't write myself I read something that someone else worked hard on and is sharing with the world. I read a favorite literary magazine online instead of obsessing about my emails or news. I go to the library, the public library or my favorite coffee shop, which is "The Library" so I think that counts too. I also consider staring into space with lap top or pen in hand a worthwhile way to spend my time even if few or even (gasp) no words get written.

celticroots · Jan 22, 2018

I try and write bits and pieces everyday. I have health issues so sometimes this isn’t possible. If I don’t write I don’t beat myself up about it.

If I see I am making progress, however slowly, I am happy.

Writing at the same time every day did not work for me.

mtj0000 · Jan 23, 2018

Always wanted to write as a kid, but growing up an author was not a career choice my parent approved of, something about eventually needing to pay my own bills. I write in spurts, but never long enough to actually finish anything. Every once in a while I will get really into it and it is the most amazing feeling, like time is flying by then I return to reality and nothing happens for months on end. I usually start writing because I get really really frustrated, and writing is an escape from all that frustration. I've been traveling a lot for work lately and writing seems to come easier in strange places. I'm nowhere near quitting my day job, but i think I actually might meet some of my characters there anyway.

J.T. Marsh · Jan 23, 2018

Every day that passes is a day that brings me closer to my goal, but only so long as I use every day to work towards it. Hence, I write every day. That is, I work on one project or another every day, whether it's the first draft, a round of rewrites, cover work, note-taking, brainstorming, or something else like that. I suppose when I'm rich and famous I'll spend a little less time on it; for now, most of my life is spent working at my day job, working on writing, or sleeping.

The Urban Spaceman · Jan 23, 2018

SciSarahTops said:
I'd love to hear about your writing habits.

Mostly at weekends, when I have leave from work, or in any spare moment I can grab.

Why you don't write every day.

Home, full time job, numerous pets, and more hobbies than I can shake a stick at. If I could quit my job and earn a living writing, I would.

How you keep productive and motivated.

Even on the days I don't write, I brain-write. Or brain-plan. Toss stuff around in my head. Sometimes doodle out some notes if I have a bit of paper and a pen handy. Sketch some timelines or chapter ideas. My motivation is my own sanity. I have so many ideas rolling around my noodle that if I don't get some of them out into words, I would probably suffer some sort of catastrophic brainsplosion.

Larry M · Jan 23, 2018

I try to write every day. Some days, by the time I get home from my day job, I'm too brain dead to think or write. I write in spurts; sometimes it flows out for days and I can barely keep up. Other times (that can last for weeks and weeks), I can't put two coherent words together. During the creative spurts, I milk it for all I can. I wait out the dry spells because I know eventually, I'll come out of it.

LARRYD · Jan 23, 2018

I've never written every day except during NaNoWriMo. Sadly, I could because I have the time for it. Frankly, I'm a horrible procrastinator. My past habit was doing nothing, sometimes for weeks then the mood would strike and I'd sit down and binge write 20-30K words. I'd like to cultivate the habit of writing something every day. Last week I saw a challenge in another thread to write at least 500 words a day and decided to try it. So far, so good although I've only been doing it for a few days. We'll see how it goes.

rwm4768 · Jan 23, 2018

I think a lot of my day-to-day inconsistency is related to my bipolar disorder. When I'm on the manic side, I can get a lot of writing done. When I'm depressed...not so much.

Usually, I come in at around 1000 words per day on average. For this month, I'm just under 1000 words per day, but I've only written on six of twenty-three days,.

Kjbartolotta · Jan 23, 2018

rwm4768 said:
I think a lot of my day-to-day inconsistency is related to my bipolar disorder. When I'm on the manic side, I can get a lot of writing done. When I'm depressed...not so much.

For most of my life, I've worked this way, as I get older and (slightly) more balanced, I've become more consistent (and thankfully so). Though there are set-backs and reversals, last year I spent close to six months unable to write anything/

Enlightened · Jan 24, 2018

"Productive and motivated" are dangerous words, in my opinion.

No one can write every day. This is impossible. You need rest days. It all comes down to a mix of quality vs. quantity. We discussed this on the AW IRC channel a week ago. Outlining vs. Pantsing. Pantsing is a word one of the members used. For Americans, this means pulling one's pants down (exposing their underwear) to get others to laugh at them. For this participant, pantsing meant writing by the seat of your pants (i.e. no outline).

Writing every day, without an outline or some guidance, does not make for proactive writing (i.e. good quality and/or positive quantity). For me, I will do 5½ to 6 months of research before I start writing. This is the majority of my "quality" phase (although writing well is a big part of it). When I write, I just have to focus on high quantity, because I did the work for high quality. When done together (quality and quantity), one usually suffers; i.e. it's a ratio or game of percentages of each.

To answer the prompt, I do not have to write "every day" to stay productive and motivated. As long as the quality and quantity meet my standards, I will remain productive and motivated.

Those of you that don't write every day

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

SciSarahTops

late cretaceous

Atlantic12

SciSarahTops

late cretaceous

WiseScarab

WriterBN

Snitchcat

Dragon-kitty.

caroline.q

morngnstar

fatalb86

Layla Nahar

Seashell Seller

vicky271

Odile_Blud

-_-

rwm4768

practical experience, FTW

ambmae

textcat

celticroots

mtj0000

J.T. Marsh

intemperate

The Urban Spaceman

Existential quandary

Larry M

LARRYD

Your Tiki Tour Guide

rwm4768

practical experience, FTW

Kjbartolotta

Potentially has/is dog

Enlightened

Always Learning