Write Every Day: The Daily Word Counts Of Great Authors

If you are writing a book, you need to set a target

One factor that distinguishes a professional writer from an aspiring one is consistency. Most professionals write daily, regardless of the circumstances—be it rain or shine, excitement or boredom, illness, or even a hangover. Writing, contrary to popular belief, doesn’t depend on sudden bursts of inspiration but on building a routine and sticking to it. While some days the words may flow effortlessly, others can be a slog.

I have worked as a journalist full-time and freelance for over 30 years, and the first half of my career was in print. When working with magazines or newspapers, there is no option - you hit the deadline, or you don’t get published. It helped me build a routine.

Deadlines are great motivators, but the process is a bit different when writing a book. Most of my articles are around 1000 words, which I can easily do in a day. But I am now writing a novel, and the end is nowhere…