Hello? Theresa, are you there?

I've been a little MIA this week. I do that on occasion. Nothing against any of you. I just finished a WIP and after rereading and revising a million times I needed a break. My eyes hurt. My head hurt. My brain was mush. So it's been about week since I have written  anything and now the itch is back. I need to write something! I thought I'd start out with a short post to say Hi! *Waves* How is everyone? Then from here I'll jump into another WIP.

During my little break I was wondering if anyone else goes through the same process as me. As a writer I hear the same advice all the time. "Write every day." Now don't get me wrong it is great advice, but I'm sure even the most successful writers go a day or four without getting a single word down.

After I finish a WIP I need time to regroup and to let those characters go before I can jump into a new world with new characters. The new characters need my undivided attention and don't need me daydreaming about the old characters. So once I finish I step away from writing. Sometimes I spend that time reading, other times I don't and prefer to veg on my couch and watch reruns of Jersey Shore. Why? I have no idea. That show is the epitome of garbage but once I turn it on I can't change the channel.

Usually after a week I'm ready to go. Sometimes it's shorter and sometimes it's longer. But I always know no matter how long it takes, the itch will always return. I'm a writer. I just need a break every now and again.

So I want to know. Do you take breaks in between WIPs? Do you take breaks while you are in the middle of a WIP? Or do you follow the advice of write every day?