Love the minimum threshold approach, and make it easy, but it keeps you writing. 👍I believe Dr. Ian Malcolm said "Life FINDS a way" but maybe he should have said it your way, Simon, because it always does. ;)
It's not so much about writing every day as it is about developing a writing habit. If you only write one afternoon per week but do it consistently, then you have that writing habit. It's really about 'training' your brain into knowing when it is expected to come up with ideas. Consistency is key, as you pointed out in the article.
Writing everyday is just often the easiest way to develop that habit. But skipping days here and there isn't the end of the world and shouldn't stress you out.
That said, I disagree with your list of three pre-requisites at the start of the article.
The problem with all three of those is that they are often used as excuses to not write. Lack of time being the most frequent offender.
I've seen writers with extremely busy lives--handling kids, multiple jobs, home chores, and Lord knows what else--manage to write daily regardless. One case I remember in particular was an author who'd write on her phone for 10 minutes while riding the bus every day (compare this to your pre-requisites).
Obviously, if it's easier to just write one afternoon per week (like you do, Simon), then go with that. But my point is that you also must decide whether you want to write seriously or not and how serious you want to be about it.
And I talk out of experience, by the way, because I wasted years not writing because I "didn't have the time" when, really, I could have *made* the time. I just hate to see others make that same mistake.
Agree - but in terms of 'taking it seriously', I think the key thing I learned is that you didn't have to be able to magically turn into a daily writer overnight. The perceived wisdom often used to be that you had to write every day, or you weren't a real writer. But really, you can start writing seriously and taking yourself seriously by taking initially very small steps.
I actually do tend to write every day now, but I've built up to that over many years. It was allowing myself to only write one evening per week, and not thinking of that as a failure, that helped me get to where I am now.
Sure. Everyone has to do it at their own pace. Do what's comfortable for you. It just goes back to that 'writing habit' thing. If the habit is once a week, then that's fine. The important thing is to stick with it, that's what eventually says how serious you are about it.
Love the minimum threshold approach, and make it easy, but it keeps you writing. 👍I believe Dr. Ian Malcolm said "Life FINDS a way" but maybe he should have said it your way, Simon, because it always does. ;)
Can you be both a happy and serious writer? 🫤
Yes! Definitely. :)
It's not so much about writing every day as it is about developing a writing habit. If you only write one afternoon per week but do it consistently, then you have that writing habit. It's really about 'training' your brain into knowing when it is expected to come up with ideas. Consistency is key, as you pointed out in the article.
Writing everyday is just often the easiest way to develop that habit. But skipping days here and there isn't the end of the world and shouldn't stress you out.
That said, I disagree with your list of three pre-requisites at the start of the article.
The problem with all three of those is that they are often used as excuses to not write. Lack of time being the most frequent offender.
I've seen writers with extremely busy lives--handling kids, multiple jobs, home chores, and Lord knows what else--manage to write daily regardless. One case I remember in particular was an author who'd write on her phone for 10 minutes while riding the bus every day (compare this to your pre-requisites).
Obviously, if it's easier to just write one afternoon per week (like you do, Simon), then go with that. But my point is that you also must decide whether you want to write seriously or not and how serious you want to be about it.
And I talk out of experience, by the way, because I wasted years not writing because I "didn't have the time" when, really, I could have *made* the time. I just hate to see others make that same mistake.
Agree - but in terms of 'taking it seriously', I think the key thing I learned is that you didn't have to be able to magically turn into a daily writer overnight. The perceived wisdom often used to be that you had to write every day, or you weren't a real writer. But really, you can start writing seriously and taking yourself seriously by taking initially very small steps.
I actually do tend to write every day now, but I've built up to that over many years. It was allowing myself to only write one evening per week, and not thinking of that as a failure, that helped me get to where I am now.
Sure. Everyone has to do it at their own pace. Do what's comfortable for you. It just goes back to that 'writing habit' thing. If the habit is once a week, then that's fine. The important thing is to stick with it, that's what eventually says how serious you are about it.