Georgia NeSmith
2 min readSep 9, 2021

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I'm confused here.

The practice of writing every day does not require one to submit a completed piece for readers every day.

The point of writing every day is to keep one's brain well oiled and attuned to rigorous practice so that when you sit down to write, the words start to flow automatically.

It's kind of a Pavloian response to external conditions (same time, same place, same writing instrument; perhaps same music....) so that external conditions command you to write, and your brain responds the way the Pavlovian dog begins to salivate at certain moments even without food in front of it.

It need not continue the content you wrote the previous day, Regardless, writing becomes a habit you do virtually automatically.. That rhythm can enable you to climb over the walls your brain constructs against writing, usually out of fear of failure.

You may write total garbage, but like organic garbage becomes the lubricant, and eases forth better writing.. For instance, right now I can feel the gears loosening and the words coming even though when I started my braub was total sludge.

Writing an article every day without giving your thoughts time to percolate, to suck up nutrients through their roots can produce only very shallow (and often quite repetitive) ideas.

It seens a lot of Medium writers at least attempt to follow that dictum and consesquently produce pablum practically every eay.

Yes. Try to write every single day, preferably "same time, same station."

Grease the gears. Don't focus on the outcome. Give in to the rhythm.

You will begin to develop ideas to work on later, so that when nothing comes to you about the piece you are working on at the moment, you can go back to notes and drafts to develop further.

BTW, I am instructing MYSELF at the very same time I am instructing YOU! ❤️❣️❤️❣️❤️❣️

-- Georgia NeSmith, writing coach and editor.

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Georgia NeSmith

Retired professor, feminist, writer, photographer, activist, grandmother of 5, overall Wise Woman. Phd UIA School of Journalism & Mass Communication, 1994.