Write Everyday... Or Don't: 8 tips for finding your rhythm

#1 Sunday Snippet

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Welcome to Behind the Chapters. On Sundays I share brief tips, notes, and prompts for fiction writers.

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Psst! I’ve done it both ways.

For my first novel, I wrote every day—setting my alarm for 5AM, brewing coffee in the dark, and hitting my word count before scooting off to work. For my second book? I was writing full time and wrote in focused bursts (most days) with days or even weeks in between. Both novels made it to bookstores.

Daily writing might be your magic–

• Momentum builds like compound interest—today's 300 words can make tomorrow's 500 flow easier

• A routine smashes the "should I write today?" debate entirely

• You get into a rhythm and your subconscious will keep working on story problems even when you're away

• The practice of showing up daily strengthens your creative muscles

On the other hand, taking breaks might release your brilliance–

• Creativity needs breaks so you can refill while living, observing, experiencing

• Distance provides perspective—problems that seem insurmountable are often resolved with space

• Quality can trump quantity—forced writing sometimes creates more to revise later

• Some stories need breathing room to reveal their deeper meaning

Or perhaps the best approach for you will change with each project or phase of life. A structured daily schedule may work when you’re young and child-free; whereas a more flexible routine could be needed if you have children or other obligations and have to squeeze in work when the time is available.

So there you have it. There’s no right or wrong approach. Whether you join Team Daily or Team Whenever-It-Strikes is entirely up to you and your lifestyle. Both can work. What matters isn't trying to stick to what you’ve been told is the correct way to go about it, but finding the rhythm that lights and sustains YOUR creative fire.