On its own, consistency isn’t a particularly magical virtue; your work won’t magically improve on its own just because you show up every day. Deliberate practice and improving taste are still crucial parts of the practice.

Rather, as a structure, consistency tends to build something of a keystone habit. If you commit to writing every day, you also train your brain to start noticing ideas and patterns, to make observations, and to communicate them more quickly and concisely. 

As a byproduct, every day, you’re studying other people who write, you’re sourcing inspiration, and you’re articulating ideas. You’re strengthening your metaphorical muscle for completing and publishing work. You’re thinking more clearly about what you did or said earlier in the day, or the day before.

Without consistency (or some degree of regularity), what tends to happen is you stop showing up entirely. 

(If you can afford that to happen, that’s okay too. Life happens in seasons (and microseasons).)

It’s not a big deal to miss a day; just pick it back up the day after.

If you’re experiencing the pressure or burnout of writing every day, it’s probably worth changing the surface you write on (e.g., don’t write on social media, write at a blog—or the opposite!) or to scope it down.