Do you have to write every day? Can you write every day?

 I know a lot of people would look at these two questions and answer “yes” to both. However, in my opinion (emphasis on opinion) the answer is “no” to the first and “only if you want to” on the second. 

Let me explain why. 

Athletes Need Rest

Athletes have bodies honed to a near perfect physique for their sport. Even though they are trained to withstand a great deal more than the average person, they still require rest and care. 

Writing is highly mentally taxing work. Your brain is strained on an intensely emotional level and you need to rest your brain just like an athlete does their body.

Monotony and Lack of Creative Juices

When you do the same task every day, it becomes rather tedious. Think of doing the dishes, or taking out the trash, or any other daily chore you have to do that you wish someone else did instead.  Doing it one day is fine, maybe even two. It’s when you start having to do it every single day that you begin to rebel inside against doing it. Every excuse in the book is used to get out of it.

I know what you’re going to say. Chores are an important part of our living and we must do them all the time to keep our houses clean and livable. Writing is a hobby or an enjoyable pastime for most people. Now, several people do write for a living and it is therefore their career and must be done if they are to eat, but they aren’t the ones I am talking about right now.

While writing is definitely not part of your chores, it is still possible to get incredibly tired of the activity. It is perfectly fine if you need to set your project aside for a bit and come back to it recharged.

What If I Want to Write Every Day

If you want to write every day, then by all means do so. There is no rule saying you can’t. I certainly won’t say that you are not allowed to. Instead, I will merely caution you to not work yourself too hard.

Pushing yourself too far can be more damaging than what you think taking a break would be.

In conclusion I suppose, you are not obligated to write every single day. Breaks can be good for you. However, if you wish you put words on a page every day of the year, then you are more than welcome to do so.

The important thing is to have fun and enjoy what you’re doing. Don’t forget, you can always go back and fix it later.

With  Blessings,

Nicolle

Have you had to take a writing break before? Have you tried writing every day?