butt in chair... in front of the TV while surfing the web

someone asked me yesterday if i write every single day.
my answer was: "No way. No! No no no no no."
and he seemed relieved, which made me happy.

he has probably seen all over the web and heard from other writer friends the same advice i have seen and heard:
Write. Write every day.
it's the butt-in-chair method that works for so many writers to stay motivated and defy "writer's block." but BIC doesn't work for me, and i was glad to be able to tell someone else it's not the only way to write a book.

now, i did tell him, when i'm working on a book, whether writing a first draft or doing a revision, i write ALMOST every day.
i'm just not always writing a book. i'm a big believer in taking a deep breath and walking away from the laptop for awhile after finishing a manuscript. when i'm knee-deep in a story, i tend to ignore the rest of my life (chores, socializing, reading, showering). but we need to keep LIVING to stay inspired, so i take breaks from writing.

i'm on a break right now, in fact. ideas have been creeping up on me, but i either jot them down or push them aside, because i can't get too involved in a new story when my editorial letter for BUTTER is imminent. i finished my first-round revision of BILLY D just before christmas and haven't written anything new since. by the time i start revising BUTTER, that will be about a one-month break from all writing documents. sometimes the break is longer - up to 3 months. sometimes it's only a few days. but i do think it's important to take that deep breath and suck in the world around you - with no pressure or guilt. i give you all permission to step away from the laptop!

my friend and i also discussed finding time to write at all. he asked how i do it and whether there is a certain time of day that's better to write.
i had a definite answer to this question, and i'll share it in tomorrow's post!