Consistent vs. Daily

There are many purveyors of writing advice out there who will tell you one of the keys to writing success is to WRITE EVERY DAY.

I used to be one of those purveyors. 

Then I led a writing workshop, and mindlessly repeated that advice. When you’ve heard it your entire writing career, it seems like the kind of thing that should be passed on. Someone raised their hand and asked me how I managed to write every day.

Red-faced, I was forced to admit that I don’t, in fact, write every day.

Oops.

With that in mind, I suggest a slight revision to the advice being offered: Instead of WRITE EVERY DAY, we should encourage new writers to WRITE CONSISTENTLY.

In all honesty, the advice to “Write Every Day” was originally given in a different world than we live in now. When you work a 9-5 job, it’s easy to carve out an hour or two every day for the purpose of writing.

I don’t work a 9-5 job though. I work 12 hour factory shifts. 

Others work 24 hour first responder shifts.

Some work nights.

Some work weekends.
Some are full-time caregivers to children, elderly family members, or loved ones with disabilities.

The American work schedule isn’t consistent. Throw in things like chores, errands, and other hobbies, and it’s amazing anything gets written at all.

Finding time to write is hard. You can’t always carve out daily time, but you can usually carve out consistent time. It may be getting up early to write on your days off. You may decide to write on your breaks at work. Heck, you may be able to find thirty minutes a night before bed. But while daily writing time may not work for everyone, most can find consistent writing time. 

And that’s just as beneficial. 

So find consistent time to write, and adjust the writing advice you’re mindlessly repeating. Hopefully, it’ll keep you from having to explain that no, you don’t follow the advice you’re purveying.