It’s Ok if You Don’t Write Every Day
Since the rise of the internet and social media, we have access to information at any time we need it. But that also means we have access to opinions and advice from everyone. Every single industry is overrun with personal ideals and ways of doing certain things.
The writing industry is one example.
How many times have you Googled a writing question only to receive thousands of results, some of which that are contradictory? I have.
And one of the top contradictory “rules” is you must write every day to be a writer.
Ask any writer — whether they’re a bestselling vet or a newbie — and chances are they’ll have an opinion about this specific writing advice. Note that I say advice and not rule as I did before because, to me, writing every day is not a rule.
My opinion on this matter is this:
It’s ok if you don’t write every day.
You’re still a writer even if you only have time to write every other day or only on weekends. What matters most is that you’re writing.
Victoria (V.E.) Schwab talks a lot about writing on her social media. And one piece of advice she often shares is that writing is not always sitting down and putting words on the page.
To paraphrase her: Writing is rewriting. Writing is brainstorming. Writing is plotting. Writing is staring out the window. Writing is thinking.
Yes, if you want a complete manuscript you have to get words on the page, but writing itself is more than just putting sentences together. When you’re brainstorming a scene, you’re writing. When you’re looking out the window imagining your world, you’re writing. And when you’re creating characters and plot, you’re still writing.
It may not seem like you are, but even if you’re jotting down snippets of dialogue or descriptions, you’re writing.
Here’s a more informed breakdown of the way I view this advice:
Writing is anything that pertains to your story. That could be plotting, brainstorming, character questionnaires, vision boarding, thinking, or journaling.
Drafting is when you’re actually sitting down, butt in chair, and working on your story.
I prefer separating the terms because, for me, writing encompasses way more than just the draft I’m working on. For example, I write in my journal every day. While most entries are personal thoughts and gratitude, I may sometimes write ideas down for my current story.
I also write a to-do list every day. I write texts every day. Emails.
This may all seem arbitrary to what writers consider writing, but the truth is we’re all writers. The difference is that writers, in the publishing sense, draft books.
You may not agree with m and that’s fine. But differentiating the terms has allowed me to not beat myself up when I don’t “write” when I say I will. Instead, I sit down to draft and then write throughout the day.
Why I don’t write every day
My schedule on a daily basis works like this:
I work on my book (a.k.a. drafting) every weekday from 9:00 am to 10:00 am.
I then work on other tasks like client work, content creation, and my Etsy printables.
I break to walk or work out around 3:00 pm as a way to unwind.
From 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm I’m making, eating, and cleaning up dinner.
From 7:00 pm on I’m doing some relaxing activities like reading, watching TV, journaling, and writing.
Writing at that time could be me brainstorming the next scene. It could be jotting down notes for future ideas. Or it can be any type of work related to my current story that’s not drafting. Depending on my energy level I may draft for another 20 to 30 minutes but that’s on rare occasions.
Typically after I eat dinner my brain goes into relaxation mode and I do activities that allow me to unwind before bed.
I don’t normally draft on the weekends. Those are days I reserve for errands, cleaning, and hanging out with friends and family. Now if I’m on a deadline then yes, I will draft on the weekends. But for the most part, I can make pretty decent progress on whatever I’m working on by doing it for an hour every single weekday morning.
In fact, drafting is part of my morning routine. After I get dressed, have breakfast, make coffee, meditate, and do my affirmations, I go right into drafting. I don’t check emails, social media, or anything else before this.
The morning is my time to do my writing and that’s exactly what I do.
On days when I don’t have a lot of client work or I’m caught up on everything, I’ll do more drafting. It’s not like I only draft from 9:00 am to 10:00 am. However, by doing it consistently at the same time every day I’ve built up a habit. My brain knows that by 9:00 am we should be working on our story.
Of course, there are exceptions. When life throws a curveball and I’m unable to do my morning routine, I adjust. I’ll draft for an hour or two on the weekend to make up for what I missed or I’ll draft a little later in the day.
My main goal is to draft (i.e. add actual words to my story) at least five days a week. If I do more, great. If I fall behind because I’m sick or it’s a particularly busy week of client work, I try to squeeze in 10 or 15 minutes when I can.
The hard truth about writing is that yes if you want a complete manuscript to work with you need to write. But don’t think you’re not writing if you’re only plotting or brainstorming some ideas. You never know what you might use in your draft.
The main reason I don’t draft every day is that I need to give myself time to unwind. A few years ago I drafted so often and so much that I burned myself out. I ignored friends and family and my mental and physical health took a dive.
As writers, we need to take care of ourselves or else our stories will suffer. It’s fine to ride the inspiration train when it pulls into the station. But if you feel you cannot draft today because you have a headache or you’re running around doing this and that, then be happy with some writing-related activity like plotting, brainstorming, or general note-taking.
We hear all the time that it’s vital we create a writing schedule and do our best to stick with it.
Yes, my drafting time may change from project to project, season to season. It all depends on what’s going on in my life. That’s what I want to convey to you.
When you create a drafting schedule — the time you’re going to sit down and add words to your story — accept that it may have to change every now and then. And until you come up with a new time, work on some writing tasks instead.
If the difference between writing and drafting confused you, I apologize. Don’t get me wrong, I still call sitting down to draft “writing.” What I’m hoping you take away from this post is that if you adjust your mindset to know that writing is more than just putting words to a page you’re going to find more enjoyment.
One of the most important things I did was give myself the weekends off. I still write down notes and do some minor brainstorming, but not drafting has been a game changer. How so? It allows my brain a chance to sit with what I’ve done for the week and I come back on Monday with fresh ideas, new ways to improve the scene, and more.
We’re told to take our writing seriously. To treat it like a job. And while I agree with that statement, what’s one thing we’re told when it comes to jobs? That you need to take breaks in order to allow your brain to rest and recharge.
So yes, it is ok if you don’t write every day. Because the truth is, you kind of are even when you’re thinking about your story or simply jotting down notes.
What’s your writing schedule? Do you write every day? What is your stance on that writing advice? Comment below. I’d love to hear your opinion on this widely shared topic.
