Today’s gem of writing advice comes from an interview with literary agent Laurie McLean of Agent Savant. The interview is given by Matt Garland of Winning Edits.
Garland asks what advice McLean would give to writers who are “stalled” (stressing, stuck, procrastinating, etc.) in their author’s journey. McLean responds,
“Write every day, even if it’s only for 15 minutes.”
If you think of writing like speaking a foreign language or playing an instrument, you begin to understand the importance of this: if you don’t keep the skills fresh, they rust. What does any teacher tell you when you’re learning something new? Practice, practice, practice! Repetition is crucial to staying in top form.
On a similar note, McLean adds that it’s important to read in the genres you write. She does not emphasize “daily” here, but if you remember that last bit of advice about having a solid writing-to-reading ratio, you might consider making a commitment to reading each day also– even if it is sliver of time, like the minimum quarter hour McLean suggests for writing.
Julie Israel 
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