Writing Myth #1: Daily Writing

As writers, we’re told that, in order to be good at what we do, we must write, if not every single day, then at least very, very consistently (like, every other day or so). Even if we are dried of ideas. Even if our minds and bodies are burnt out. Even if we’re temporarily bored with going at the same thing over and over again. We are told that forcing ourselves into a daily habit, no matter what, will cause us to generate ideas...eventually...and you never know: maybe that one halfhearted line we jotted down will inspire something greater later down the road.

There are two reasons that forcing constant writing to the extreme can be counterproductive for a writer. One: we are not allowing our creativity to rejuvenate; and two: we are not allowing ourselves garner new material.

The concept of the dark moon phase is a spiritual one, originally, and typically for women because of the cycles their bodies go through. However, it needn’t be only reserved for spirituality or femininity; this phase is, really, any period of time that a person goes through in which their physical and mental facilities slow or shut down. Think: depression, illness, “writer’s block,” etc. It’s a period of rest, in which we metaphorically, and sometimes literally, renew ourselves. Think: sleep, winter.

If we push ourselves too much in anything, we often break down and cannot keep performing 100% effectively. When we are feeling burnt out about writing, instead of pushing the issue, many times it’s best to step away for a while to give our minds a break so that we can come back to our pieces with full force. We can retreat into ourselves, watch mindless TV, pursue another creative medium, go out and party, sleep, do whatever the hell want to make ourselves feel better and inspired again.

Going a length of time without writing will not hurt you as a writer, at least not if you are choosing not to write (because, on the contrary, not writing against our will due to work or school or life can be frustrating, and that can be dangerous or detrimental to our creativity and happiness). I am not spiritual at all, but I buy into the idea of the dark moon phase because I do believe in allowing time to revive ourselves. When I was still in college, I'd allow myself at least a week at the beginning of winter or summer break to just sleep and fuck around because of how burnt out I'd be from school, but then I'd rev up and get some serious writing done. Stepping away from a particular piece or just the act of writing itself can lead to a refreshed mind once we come back, and often that’s when we are able to figure out solutions to problem areas, are able to see things in a night light, and are able to perform at our best.

Also, by not forcing ourselves into a strict routine of writing, we allow ourselves to actually experience life, which can do a lot more good for our writing than actually writing can sometimes. An old friend of mine told me that he felt almost guilty because he hadn’t been writing too much because he’d been busy doing many other things, and I had told him that that was a good thing: doing other things. How else are we to generate new ideas? Even if someone writes something extremely fantastical, with lots of imagination involved, they still need to draw their most basic ideas from somewhere, and those come from what we do and observe personally.

I write a lot about love. My ex used to get upset and was always on my case about that because he’d say, soon I’d need to get more material if I wanted to keep writing, if you know what I mean. In a way, he had a point (that’s not to say I can’t and don’t write about things other than relationships with men). But if you sit at a computer or in front of your notebook every single day, especially for a substantial amount of time, you’re missing out doing the things that are indeed worth writing about.

There should be no guilt, no feelings about not being a “true writer", because you might not write every day like many people tell you that you should. Embrace the moments away from the art, give yourself a break. Being a “true” writer simply means knowing that you won’t stay away from writing forever, you’ll come back when you’re ready to be a beast at it. You know it. 

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