While I believe it’s important for a writer to write every day, there are times when it’s good to take a break.
Writers need to prioritize and not let writing intrude on other matters in life. Don’t misunderstand me, I think a writer should try to set aside some time to write every day, but there are events in life that should take precedence such as important family events, personal commitments to others, and unforeseen emergencies.
So don’t feel guilty if you don’t put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, on those days. Life happens. And from those life events, you’ll have memories to mine for your writing endeavors.
Conversely, I believe it can be more harmful to be so obsessed about writing as to get so caught up in the process of producing words that a writer will intentionally miss or purposely ignore other activities that make up life. Once something happens, it's gone. Forever.
Life enriches our writing when we experience the degrees of joy and sadness, and everything else we encounter along our daily journey.
Until the next time…
All good points that relate to artists and musicians as well. Thanks Michael. I hope you are finding some respite from writing for a little bit. It'll be there when you are ready to return!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment, Socorro. However, I still write every day. Perhaps not on a novel, short story, or nonfiction book, but on other things such as this blog.
DeleteI find myself becoming obsessed from time to time with those daily 5000 words. I always stop now because my usual quota is usually rubbish if my heart isn't in it.
ReplyDeleteI've had spells like that as well. Sometimes you can find a nugget or two but not that often. I'm not sure if I could crank out 5,000 words a day now. On my first two novels I wrote like gangbusters from start to finish. Those were my younger days!
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