I’ve just restarted my strength training regime. Today, I’m humbled. Tomorrow, I’ll be sore. I haven’t been consistent for the last six months or so, and as a result I’m now forced to go back and cover old ground. It will be some time before I see a PB (personal best).
What does this have to do with writing? Everything.
When we’re constantly stopping and starting our writing regime, we don’t get any better. All we do is cover old ground.
Sure, we can say that the break gives our creative wells time to refill. We can tell ourselves that we need a rest because writing a novel is such a big undertaking. (And it is! I believe it’s the creative equivalent of running a marathon.) But here’s the thing. If we simply stop writing for long periods of time, or if we engage in an inconsistent writing practice, our creative muscles atrophy.
So, what can we do about it? I’ll have more on that tomorrow.
