These three authors would have you believe that writing every day is an urban writer myth:
George R.R. Martin. The famous author of A Song of Ice and Fire has anxiety about the HBO TV series passing the point where he is in the writing of the story. He said that he felt like he was "bound to train tracks and could see smoke wafting," though he can't yet see the train. To be honest, George is so slow, so easily distracted, and so unhealthy the likelihood of him not finishing the series is the same as the sun rising in the east.
Thomas Harris. An American author and screenwriter that's managed to produce five books in forty years (Black Sunday, Red Dragon, The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, Hannibal Rising). That's about one book every ten years. If he's writing every day, it's one word and then...done. Time to get lunch.
Harper Lee. She wrote one book: To Kill A Mockingbird. Ayep...that's it.
So yeah, why do so many writers listen to the mantra "To be called a writer, you should write every day?" It's pretty much hokum. That's my point and I'm sticking to it. Have a good weekend you nano-wrimo preppers out there!
So yeah, why do so many writers listen to the mantra "To be called a writer, you should write every day?" It's pretty much hokum. That's my point and I'm sticking to it. Have a good weekend you nano-wrimo preppers out there!
I write every day because I like it. The more I write, the more I want to write.
ReplyDeleteBut, there are no rules. I hate rules.
I certainly can't write every day. When I am in writing mode, I tend to write once per week. So I produce a new book about every 3-4 years.
ReplyDeleteUnless blog comments count, I don't write every day.
ReplyDeleteFive books in forty years? Now my three books in five years doesn't look so bad.
'tis more important to write a single book in your life but one which becomes a classic, than writing every day countless unnoticed books :)
ReplyDeleteAdd my name to that list. I mostly write on weekends. I suppose in November I might get revved up to do more for the Nano thing. I think for some writers it just gets to a point where you don't need constant practice. Mostly the "write every day" thing is for people who are just starting out. But I never understand those authors who produce one book a decade. They probably have real lives, unlike me.
ReplyDeletesome aren't very prolific
ReplyDeleteI don't write every day, but I think about my writing every day.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. I really do get down on myself for being such a slow writer. And I mostly do write every day, but only about five hundred words. I try to make them all count. :))
ReplyDeleteReaders really have a love/hate with Martin, don't they?
ReplyDeleteI seldom skip of day of not doing something with my writing. Sometimes it just the paperwork part rather than writing new stuff.
Aren't too many Starks left to kill.
People need to write the way that works best for them, and that's all there is to it.
ReplyDelete(Though, to be fair, Lee chose to never write another book because she said she would never produce anything to beat Mockingbird.)
They could still be writing every day. They could just spend a lot of time rewriting, or making sure that one, single word, is the right one.
ReplyDeleteI write most days of the week. I feel bored as eff if i don't have some sort of writing related activity going on
@Sarah: GRRM has said he doesn't write all fall and winter because he'd rather watch football and paint his minis. *Theory blown.
ReplyDeleteI think for most people it just means write more than you're doing at the moment. i know I could certainly put in a few extra hours.
ReplyDeletemood
I write everyday - but usually it isn't the project I want to be on.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a good habit, and once you've reached success, at least I hope so, you can travel and explore other venues and settings. That's my goal - write - earn lots of money - travel. I know so, so unrealistic. But it's my dream - don't squash it! LOL
Some genres are easier to write and take less time than others. The reality is that most of us are just writers..not authors. Authors make enough money to quit their day job. Not many can do that.
ReplyDeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteFunny bit of commentary on Harris. One word a day... :)
I don't write everyday unless I'm doing NaNo or the story is flowing hot and fast.
They could write every day. Just, most of that writing could be revisions...
ReplyDelete(I'm not writing every day at the moment. Life is tripping me up.)
Thank you! If some people need or want to write every day, that's just fine. I'm just not one of them.
ReplyDeleteOne book every ten years - I reckon that will be my style.
ReplyDeleteHehe. Damn right! Some writers write daily; some have day jobs. We do what we can :)
ReplyDeleteThey don't need to write daily because they're rich. I'm a poor struggling writer tearing my hair out writing every day when I'd rather go get my hair done!
ReplyDeleteOscar Wilde said, "I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again."
ReplyDeleteMargaret Mitchell- one book.
F. Scott Fitzgerald only had 4 novels (although he did write many short stories but some of them were written under duress-needed money- and were not considered very good).
I'm not impressed by how much someone writes.
Does this constitute my "one word" for the day, lol.
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend Mike.
......dhole
There really are no rules in writing. Everyone works differently. Writing every day is great if you can manage it, but it won't force you to finish something.
ReplyDeleteI don't write every day. If I made a living from it, I might, but I don't, so ...
ReplyDeleteI certainly don't write every day. If I did, I'd have more than one book out right now. I wish I could write at least once a week, but sometimes I have to take a break and let things work themselves out in my head. Can't push it or it just comes out as crap. So, yeah. :D
ReplyDelete