Are you a binge or drip writer?

A binge writer will tackle their writing projects as and when they feel like it or when a deadline is fast coming up. They write for long periods of time and produce a finished piece of work as the major condition set out for sitting down to write. A drip writer will measure their work carefully, in word, paragraph or page count. They write carefully and regularly and are usually calmer.

The best writers set a schedule to write something every day and they tend to stick to it. It might sound easy but it isn’t. Life gets in the way and drip writing requires that your life cooperates with your schedule. You need a habit pattern that is established, friends and family who can leave you along and a free mind. Not many people have that.

So, you know what to expect with drip writing but what about binge writing? What are the pros and cons? Let’s have a look.

The Pros

Binge writing can be exciting, especially when a fantastic idea pops into your head and you just have to get it written before it disappears forever. Perhaps you have a deadline looming and you have no choice but to sit and write. You might be due to go to a Writer’s Accountability meeting or you may be about to start NaNoWriMo.

Regardless of why you need to write, binge writing is one of the most flexible forms. If your life requires that you spend long hours at work or is unpredictable, binge writing may be the best way for you. And it’s better to binge write than never write at all.

The Cons

It is unpredictable and, while you might get the urge to write every week, brilliant ideas don’t come into your brain to order. You have to take them when they do come and get writing there and then; you might not write again for some time but at least you have something.

It is also quite tiring. It certainly isn’t a sustainable habit. When you finally have all those words written down, when you’ve finished, or your deadline is met, the high is almost always followed by a crash. Binge writers burn out far quicker than a drip writer or they spend days just stumbling about muttering gibberish because their brain has turned to mush!

If you write as a binge writer exclusively, you will really struggle to grow as a serious or even semi-serious author. Working to a tight deadline or writing sporadically like that means that your writing quality is unlikely to change. And most binge writers submit their work without proper editing. They rarely revisit their work either because the next idea appears and that’s where their attention is focused.

It's clear that you can't be as productive with binge writing but it is better than not writing at all. Sometimes it is necessary but you should never plan a life of binge writing – you will be a gibbering wreck in no time at all!