The 500-Word Rule

If you're serious about writing professionally

Photo by Marco Lastella on Unsplash

I know it sounds bizarre to say this, but writers need to write. Every day. Always. Whether you're a novice writer or an accomplished pro under a temporary block, the only possible solution is to put butt on seat and write. Definitely painful sometimes.

After more than fifty years in the field, I've always believed in the 500-words-a-day rule. No matter what else happens, a writer needs to make sure s/he churns out at least 500 words. Really, it's simple and it's magic.

I say this for several reasons. Chief among them is sheer habit. We brush our teeth twice a day (and floss, too, right?). We wash before meals. We shower. Writing every day needs to be a habit, too.

In today's world, it's far easier to write. Our tools have made the job easier in many ways, from Internet research resources to software that aids and organizes writing (stay tuned for an upcoming article about the software I use and recommend).

Even if you have no magazine assignments at a given moment or a book project that you're working on, we have numerous publication venues at our disposal

We have a rich tapestry of venues available, Substack being among the best. Write your own blogs and send them out. Keep a writer's diary, about which I'll say more in a future Substack. Send an Op-Ed piece to your local fish wrap.

But, no matter what, you... we... need to commit to at least 500 words a day. That's only two double-spaced pages. Write about how blocked you feel, how angry you are at your partner, how difficult it is to write with a baby in your lap who needs changing NOW (!), or how much you wish you were writing on a tropical beach rather than a cramped city apartment that reeks of garlic from the restaurant below. Get past the inertia or temporary barriers. Remember your commitment to your art. Write.

Truly, I promise it makes no difference what you write about, but write. Habits are, well, habit-forming. Better to write than seek solace in a tub of Ben & Jerry's. Better yet, do both.