I don't write every day.
Sometimes I wish I did. Lord knows I'd finish the first draft of a novel faster than my current one-year'ish turnaround time. But I don't. Because I can't. And that's totally OK.
"Write every day" is sort of go-to writing advice that's especially given to writers who are just starting out. Maybe they're embarking on their first novel, or they're just starting to take the craft seriously. The advice is right up there with "Read a lot" (which, on the other hand, is not just good advice but required to write) and "Done is better than perfect" (ditto).
So for new writers who need another way of looking at things, or for long-time writers who feel like they need the permission to work at a different pace, allow me to be your writing cheerleader: Here are three reasons why I kinda hate the advice that writers should write every day:
It doesn't allow time for the creative tank to refill. Yes, sometimes, you have to just get something finished, even if you're not feeling it. Often, you have to get something finished even if you don't feel inspired. That's not what I mean here. There's a difference between "I'm not in the mood to write" (to which I do agree with the tough love sentiment--who cares, do it anyway) and "I don't have the creative energy or spark to be productive right now." That's what I'm talking about here. Besides, even if I'm not at my laptop, working on the work-in-progress, I'm still thinking of the story. I'm solving plot problems. I'm marinating on character traits. I'm reading books and consuming poetry and studying artwork. This is where creative energy comes from, and this is where you'll source the ides you'll need to make something out of nothing, to turn the blank page into something like magic.
It implies that there is no other way to be successful. Which is bull. There are a hundred ways to successfully write. When I sit down to write, I typically spill out 2,000 words in a go. Why does it matter if those 2,000 words come out in seven writing sessions across a week or during a marathon Friday night? If writing daily works for you, that's awesome; lean into it. But if it doesn't, that doesn't mean your way is wrong. It's not. I have 4 1/2 completed manuscripts under my belt, plus who knows how many poems and a handful of short stories. I share that to say hey, it can be done no matter your process.
It's classist. I picked a life where I am responsible for myself. I don't have a kid or a pet, and my spouse is able-bodied and thoughtful. I have a 40-hour-a-week flexible job I enjoy that doesn't zap my creativity. It admittedly is easier for me to write without responsibilities like children, pets, or general caregiving, without working multiple jobs to afford my lifestyle. Someone who wants to write and does have to worry about all this ... oof. How deflating to hear "You have to write every day." Talk about setting yourself up for failure.
Writing is tough. It's tough to make things up, it's tough to find the motivation to do this thing you love (I will never understand why this is so, but we all know it is). It's tough to be true to your characters. It's tough to craft scenes that both make you excited to write and make readers excited to read.
What's not tough is to be supportive. Writers, whatever works for you? That's the right thing. Don't let advice that doesn't fit your lifestyle dictate what and how you make your art. It's the work that's important, that matters. Whatever gets you to the page and producing paragraphs--or paintings, or lyrics, or sketches, or whatever--is the right thing.
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