Michael Potts's Blog: Bits and Pieces: Book Reviews and Articles on Writing, Horror Fiction, and Some Philosophy - Posts Tagged "writing-process"
Individual Variability and Writing Habits
If any of you who write have attended a workshop, your group leader may have said, "Write something every day to keep in the habit of writing." Other rules of thumb include "Write at the same time and place every day," and "Don't take a break (or perhaps, 'an extended break') from writing." For many writers, these rules helped them initially get into the habit of regularly writing. However, writers, like people in general, are not monolithic--each writer has nuances regarding the process. If the rules of thumb you hear about the writing process help you write more material, keep up the good work.
For me, I rarely write every day in a week, though I write most days. There are times I am sick of writing and do some reading for a while. Sometimes I engage in academic writing exclusively; at other times I focus on creative writing. Sometimes I write a little of both types on a given day.
I do not write at the same time every day, but "as the opportunity arises." Like mice and other people, my "best laid plans" do not always pan out. Generally I write in the afternoon and evenings, and rarely in the mornings unless I am on a writing retreat, in which case my mind is oriented to writing all day every day with short walking breaks interspersed. On most mornings my brain is half-asleep, and after morning classes I tend to chill out unless I have an approaching deadline for a writing project. Sometimes I will not write at all for several days. I have left novels sitting for months before getting back to them, and usually I find my subconscious mind was able to solve any major issues with plot and character I had earlier.
These are my habits, and with three published novels, two collections of poetry, and a nonfiction book as well as an academic anthology and numerous articles, I believe those habits have served me well. For someone else they may be disastrous. I do not ask people to copy my habits, but if they work for you, by all means go ahead. As long as keep writing and working on our craft along with the other tasks that belong to writers, we are doing all we can do.
For me, I rarely write every day in a week, though I write most days. There are times I am sick of writing and do some reading for a while. Sometimes I engage in academic writing exclusively; at other times I focus on creative writing. Sometimes I write a little of both types on a given day.
I do not write at the same time every day, but "as the opportunity arises." Like mice and other people, my "best laid plans" do not always pan out. Generally I write in the afternoon and evenings, and rarely in the mornings unless I am on a writing retreat, in which case my mind is oriented to writing all day every day with short walking breaks interspersed. On most mornings my brain is half-asleep, and after morning classes I tend to chill out unless I have an approaching deadline for a writing project. Sometimes I will not write at all for several days. I have left novels sitting for months before getting back to them, and usually I find my subconscious mind was able to solve any major issues with plot and character I had earlier.
These are my habits, and with three published novels, two collections of poetry, and a nonfiction book as well as an academic anthology and numerous articles, I believe those habits have served me well. For someone else they may be disastrous. I do not ask people to copy my habits, but if they work for you, by all means go ahead. As long as keep writing and working on our craft along with the other tasks that belong to writers, we are doing all we can do.
Bits and Pieces: Book Reviews and Articles on Writing, Horror Fiction, and Some Philosophy
The blog of Michael Potts, writer of Southern fiction, horror fiction, and poetry.
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