Every now and then I think it’s good to take some time off. I didn’t write at all last week. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Nothing.
While I felt a bit guilty, like I was cheating on a diet, it completely recharged my batteries.
I spent the whole week enjoying my family, reading a good book, meeting new people, changing my hair color. You name it, I did it. Except write.
I wasn’t sure I could go that long without writing, but I managed. What resulted was a lot og subconscious plotting. I’d wake up with fabulous ideas, or watch a tv show and get a new series going in my head. I even revitalized an old story I discarded long ago. I think I can fix it. I think I know how now.
Right now, I have to call the break a good thing. Amazing.
What about you? Do you think it’s good to take breaks, or bad to let yourself get out of the habit of writing?
November 27th, 2006 at 9:43 pm
Yeah, I do. I notice I can write like 30k, and then I need a week off. So I don’t get sick of the book. (I get bored easily) Then I’m all hyped to go again.
November 28th, 2006 at 3:31 am
I’m a binge writer — I’ll write for weeks and then take weeks off. I need to learn not to take quite so many weeks off…
November 28th, 2006 at 3:01 pm
All things in moderation. I think a break is needed and usually well-deserved. My problem is I’m a little too slackasstastic and I tend to take far too long of breaks
November 28th, 2006 at 7:45 pm
Like Robin, I’m a binge writer. I’ll go a a writing kick where I’ll write tens of thousands of words in a 6-week stretch, then I’ll take the next month or so off. Maybe it’s not good, but it’s how I work.
November 29th, 2006 at 3:21 am
I’m a binger writer too. I get really into a story for about a month, finish it, and then take a break for a few weeks. But I’m always thinking about a story: plotting and thinking - thinking and plotting. I’m still being creative even though I haven’t put anything down on paper (well typed) but you know what I mean.