Do I have to write every day to be a writer?

I’m currently in a small writing group, and the age-old question came up:

“Do I have to write every day to be a writer?”

Here’s the only correct answer, in my humble opinion: No, you don’t have to write every day to be a writer.

You can, if you like. If it works for you and not against you.

I know of a writer who wrote her first book during her lunch breaks at her full-time job. Every work day. For a year. She didn’t go out to lunch with friends, she didn’t take walks; she wrote.

That’s what worked for her.

The leader of the writing group I’m in suggests writing at least couple of days a week, because that way you don’t have to “get to know” your project again every week.

That’s what works for her.

According to internet lore, Stephen King writes four hours a day every day, even on the weekends.  

That’s what works for him.

Are you seeing the pattern here?

I think many, if not all of us, feel that we should write every day, to demonstrate our commitment to our project or to do it “right”  – and then the negative feelings that come with “shoulds” show up, like guilt and shame and procrastination.

Ok, great. I’ll schedule some writing time three days a week and we’ll see how it goes. Easy peasy. Right?

Well, here’s where it gets a little tricky: There’s no “one right way” to write a book. 

I think many, if not all of us, think that if we just get our writing schedule “right,” all the pieces will fall into place and the words will flow like magic.

But it doesn’t work that way. You won’t get it “right” and it won’t stay the same. 

So give yourself some structure and some flexibility, because what works on Monday might not work on Tuesday, and so on.

Here’s what I do – and I am by no stretch of the imagination saying this is the way to do it (see the no one right way bit above). 

I block off two hours in the mornings, Monday through Friday, for writing time. Monday mornings are for newsletters and social media; Wednesdays and Thursdays are co-writing sessions with other writers; Tuesdays and Fridays are supposed to be devoted to my current projects… and those days end up being the hardest to not do other things. 

Some days it works great, most days it doesn’t. Also note that I have the life flexibility to do this and many, if not most others, don’t. But that’s okay – you WILL find a frequency that works for you. (And if you need help with this, I am really good at helping writers find a cadence that works with their very busy lives.)

Here’s a quick tip: if putting a block of “writing time” on your agenda is too scary or pressure-filled, call it something else! Call it “project time” or “snozzlefritz” or something that doesn’t create dread or fear or procrastination. And know that doing some research or thinking or doodling also counts as “snozzlefritz” time.  

Honestly, I think struggling – and yet rising to the challenge again and again and again – is what makes one a writer. As I’m fond of saying, the struggle doesn’t mean the process isn’t working; the struggle IS the process. Welcome to being a writer!

The TL;DR:

1. If writing every day works for you, then do it!

2. If it doesn’t work for you, try something else (after giving it a good go, of course)!

3. And if the schedule needs to be adjusted, adjust it.