Taking a break?
May 10th 2008 01:38
There is lots of advice for aspiring writers - by successfully published writers, by editors and literary agents, and by people such as moi who'd like to join the first group one day. There are as many different approaches to writing as there are people writing about writing. There is one piece of advice, though, that you will find no matter where you look: If you want to make it as a writer, you have to write. Ideally every day.
So let's assume you do that. You sit down every day when you get home from the day job and write. Because you know it is the most important thing if you want to improve your skills. Does that mean you never get any time off?
I think it is important that you take a vacation every once in a while. But be precise about it. You can't just not turn up at the office every time you feel like it, you have to take vacation there, too. That's exactly what you should do when you take a break from writing. Allow yourself a few days off, maybe even a week. My experience is that the breaks should not be too long - the longer you go away from your writing routine, the harder it will be to get back into it.
A week away from writing may well work a treat, though. You may find that you are looking forward to getting back to it at the end of your vacation. You will return with new ideas and fresh determination to finally write that masterpiece.
So let's assume you do that. You sit down every day when you get home from the day job and write. Because you know it is the most important thing if you want to improve your skills. Does that mean you never get any time off?
I think it is important that you take a vacation every once in a while. But be precise about it. You can't just not turn up at the office every time you feel like it, you have to take vacation there, too. That's exactly what you should do when you take a break from writing. Allow yourself a few days off, maybe even a week. My experience is that the breaks should not be too long - the longer you go away from your writing routine, the harder it will be to get back into it.
A week away from writing may well work a treat, though. You may find that you are looking forward to getting back to it at the end of your vacation. You will return with new ideas and fresh determination to finally write that masterpiece.
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