Monday, April 6, 2015

E: Every Day

Look at this! Already more than 1/6 of the way through the A to Z Blogging Challenge. Here on the IWSG blog, our theme is encouragement for those writers out there battling through the challenges of being a writer. Feel free to share your own encouragement and advice in the comments.

Write Every day is advice commonly given to writers. Even if it's only a few words. My amazing local writer's group has a little contest they do a few times per years called the 50-50. The idea is to write at least 50 words for 50 days in a row. Then you report in a yahoo group and tell everyone how you did.

Most writers, once they sit down at the keyboard, spew out a lot more than fifty words. It's too easy to think of reasons not to sit down. One of the most common reasons is duty the list of chores waiting for all of us. Or you know you only have a ten minute slot until you have to do something else. The idea with 50 words is that you don't need even ten minutes. And if you get those fifty words down, it might turn into a couple of hundred words in ten minutes.

The other part of the contest is the fifty days. Recently on my blog I mentioned the average time it takes to make something a habit is doing every day for three weeks. Fifty days if a few more than three weeks and hopefully will help develop that writing habit of every day.

My local group is starting the newest 50/50 contest today and those who complete the task will receive a very nifty magnet designed by our talented president, Misty Simon. The sheer volume of writing that gets accomplished when you had every one's words together is astounding and well into the six digits.

Life will get in the way of writing every day and some writers pick a day to take off from the desk chair. The important thing is developing those habits and exercising those writing muscles to create a good habit. Kind like the A to Z Challenge is exercising those blogging habits and making us all better at it.

Do you write every day? Is it habit for you to write or do you mentally force yourself to get to work? Have you tried a writing challenge similar to this one, such a NaNo or another?

Susan Gourley writes epic fantasy and science fiction romance. Find her at her blog Susan Says.

27 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I think writing every day (when at all possible) really creates a habit. I always try to at *least* open the Word doc and see where I left off in my story. Usually that will spur me to write. :)

Christine Rains said...

What a great challenge. I write something every day whether it be a story, blog post, letter, or email. I've done NaNo and loved it!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

That's a good idea, Elizabeth. I should have made that suggestion.
You are already productive.

Pat Hatt said...

I think I get in 50 words in comments every day at least haha

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

If you count blog posts, yes, I do.
Even with just ten minutes, most people can still crank out a couple hundred words.

Anonymous said...

I don't write every day. I used to. Maybe my ideas have slowed down. Not sure.

Unknown said...

I'm trying to get into the habit of daily writing. Some days it's easier than others.

Anonymous said...

I write every day but Sunday. During the football season I enjoy watching all the games and cheering on my favorite team. During the off season I video chat with my sister and niece. We color and talk for hours. Both things refresh me and leave me eager to write. I can't wait to get up in the morning, pour a cup of coffee, and see where my characters take me that day.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Alex and Pat, you guys probably do a 1000 words per day in comments.
Debra, maybe your life has sped up instead of your ideas slowing down.
You hit it right on, Frank.
Hi Jillain. I usually do my blogging stuff if there's something I want to watch on TV. I can't sit in front of the screen without something else to do.

cleemckenzie said...

Life does get in the way of writing every day, but I do at least make notes on days I can't get to that WIP

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

I write every day in some way, but not on my fiction writing projects. Right now, I'm actually focusing more on my painting projects and working every day on them.

Anonymous said...

I don't write every day, but I will go through spurts where I write consistently. It's usually followed by a dry spell.
The other day I tried writing during the 10 minutes I had before work and I honestly hated it. I didn't like the fact I had to interrupt myself.

~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Member of C. Lee's Muffin Commando Squad
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

Roland D. Yeomans said...

I think of writing every day as a form of diet -- and in every diet, you choose one day to break the rules. So yes, I pick one day to slack off a bit -- it gives me incentive to write every OTHER day. :-)

Birgit said...

When I read other blogs they have just sat themselves down and wrote for 15 minutes. They now feel so great doing this, still get their work done and it is now a habit which is great

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Susan - I'm sure I write every day .. but certainly the brain is thinking every day and mulling ideas over ...

I'd love to be more organised to write more .. one day ... but I enjoy what I do and that's what makes the day fun .. cheers Hilary

Michele at Angels Bark said...

I need to start writing everyday. I've started with good intentions so many times but I am too easily pulled away from it and I let life get in the way. I need discipline. Good post: thanks for the reminder!
Michele at Angels Bark

Michelle Wallace said...

Writing every day...
Does that include blog comments?

I'm trying to write a haiku every day.
Started January, fell off the wagon from time to time, picked myself up and continued...

Chris Votey said...

My biggest issues is that I can't write when I want to write. I have a disability that makes it hard for me to write a lot at a time. I have to take a lot of breaks. However, I still manage to get something done everyday, even if it is not my book, I am writing articles and helpful advice. I am doing some writing somewhere.

Vishal Bheeroo said...

Agree with u. I was writing every day but due to work can do. But, challenge has boosted writing and 20 mins a day helps where I've been writing two posts a day for the challenge,more scheduling:)

Anonymous said...

This is a great idea! I've done NaNo a few times, but only succeeded in completing it last November. I've had better luck with blogging challenges, maybe because I'm a journalist by trade and blogging is closer to that than fiction writing.

KatyTrailCreations said...

If texting counts, I could recruit about a dozen teens.lol Seriously tho, I'm sure their minds have so much potential!
As far as myself,I'm honored to be in the company of a to z'ers. Hats off!

J.L. Campbell said...

Writing every day is a great habit to cultivate.

Beverley Baird said...

I do write at least 50 words a day. Sounds like a fun challenge - the "Don't break the chain" kind. All the best

i b arora said...

i too was apprehensive of participating in A to Z, i already have eleven posts planned and written. i think i can go all the way through

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I write every day, but it's not generally on a ms, which I wish it were. Great post, Susan.

Archana said...

I dont write regularly but I guess I should. A lot of writing happens in my mind on a regular basis... Stopping by via the AtoZ. Good luck ;)

Anonymous said...

Like the Roland that I look up to - Mr Yeomans - I try and take one day off... unless I get behind my target for the day. Just done 100k in 100 days Challenge and that got me into a groove of writing regularly. Problem with 1000 words per day in the midst of editing, it might be nearer 100 words so maybe 50 is a better figure.