by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
This is a myth I’ll quickly debunk. It annoys me when writers say there’s only one way to do things correctly.
And I am a writer who writes daily.
However, there are many very effective ways to get your writing goals met. What are goals? They can be measured in time spent at a task, project-specific progress (half a chapter completed, a section of an outline finished), or in words. There is no right way to set a goal. If one type of goal doesn’t work for you, you can try setting another type of goal.
Whatever works best for you is the best option . . . always. If a daily goal is impossible or causing a lot of stress, a weekly or bi-weekly goal works just as well. As I’ve mentioned here before, it’s often more important to have consistency than it is to have a large, impressive goal. Better to have a checkmark on your calendar that you’ve completed your weekly goal than to have a bunch of missed days for a daily goal.
Plus, you don’t have to be picky about what constitutes writing. If you’re working on necessary research, it’s writing. If you’re outlining or revising, it’s writing. It’s all part of the process.
How often do you write? What do your goals look like?
Writing Myth: Real Writers Write Every Day: Share on XImage by Pexels from Pixabay
I know I can write every day because I did so for two of my novels, but it doesn't always work out that way. And it's difficult to maintain. I think weekly goals are more realistic for me.
It’s always great to meet goals, no matter how big or small they are!
I completely agree with you, Elizabeth. There is no one right way to be a writer. Yes, I can see how daily writing is a benefit. But not every talented and successful writer writes every day. The only thing you can say about all writers is that all writers…write. Otherwise, each one is an individual, and part of developing as a writer is finding out the process that works for you and following it.
We have to experiment, don’t we? We’re writers when we get the work done, no matter how long it takes.
I agree with you that there is no set rule on when to write. I try to write most days while having lunch. I had to use that time to work on a webinar I was presenting so need to get back into regular writing again. Hopefully, I will this week.
Hope you can get back to it soon, Natalie!
Great thoughts, Elizabeth. I do write each day. Some mornings I write for 2+ hours and others are for an hour. I’ve done this for years, but have published little. My point is to write the amount that you want to write (unless you have a contract). :) If you’re writing is for yourself only, that’s okay. If it’s to be published, then do it.
That’s another important point! Know who you’re writing for. And write as much as you want to write. :)
Agreed!
I also write pretty much daily, but that works for me. Writing is my 'me' time and my fun time.
It took me far too long that not all advice is for everyone. I thought I was doing everything wrong for a very long time because my brain just doesn't do certain tasks–like outlining–well. Now that I've figured out what works for my brain, I'm having more fun than ever!
I’m sorry that you thought you were doing things wrong! That’s got to be very demotivating. :( It’s good to hear that you’ve found exactly the process that works best for you!
When I'm writing, it tends to be every other day, or at least 3 times a week. That's just what works with my chaotic schedule.
You’ve got chaos, for sure! Congratulations on your new release!
Thank you! This was the "advice" that really tripped me up for a long time. I think writing consistently, like anything, helps you improve, but sometimes it's just not possible if it's not your full-time job.
When I was getting to the end of my last, mammoth project, I was writing every day, and as I went it got to be both easier and something I looked forward to, but sometimes it can take a long time to get to that point.
I think it's fair to remind people that writing a little bit every day or even several days a week is probably going to be easier than writing, say, fifty pages one day a week, but if that once a week schedule works best, that's what you do.
Sometimes we have other things that need to be handled, besides writing. :) Our lives are full of commitments to other people and to jobs. Fitting writing in when we can is not a bad thing and leads to real progress…even if it’s just once a month!
Your posts make me feel much better about myself as a writer. Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that!