An agent I follow on Twitter posted a link to an article this morning about why writing every single day may not be the best advice, and since I've been harping on that kernel for a couple of blog posts now, I naturally thought, "What fresh hell is this?"

Then I read it and, to my chagrin, found the article to be excellent.

For most of us, writing is not our primary source of income. It's not even our biggest priority, nor should it be. For most of us, myself included, working full-time to put money in the bank is priority numero uno, and spending quality time with the family is priority numero uno-dot-uno. I work a night shift at a cheese plant, and since that shifty job is the way I feed my family, it has to take a front seat to my writing. That being said, if you're serious about becoming a novelist--if you're serious about finishing a novel--having a goal to write a little bit every day is crucial. It's difficult to find a rhythm, and even more difficult to find your writing voice when you're only carving out 15 minutes of writing time every few months. The point I've been making is simply this: make your writing a priority. It doesn't have to be number one or two on the list, but if you're serious about it, it needs to be up there above, say, knitting mittens for your guinea pigs.

Bottom line, good writing, like every other worthy pursuit, takes practice. Lots and lots of practice.

The aforementioned article can be found here, and it's worth a read.