#119: The Consistency Trap Every Author Falls Into

Everyone seems obsessed with consistency.

Post daily. Write 500 words every morning. Never break the chain.

But here's the truth: consistency without commitment is just busywork.

And busywork doesn't sell books.

The Consistency Trap

You know the feeling...

You've been crushing your writing routine for weeks. Then your kid gets sick, you get sick, or you just hit a wall.

Suddenly you've missed three days of writing.

Now you feel like a failure and you're ready to throw in the towel.

Three missed days out of 365.

That's not failure. That's life.

Your brain needs a rest, just as much as your muscles need a rest after a sweaty workout at the gym.

Rigid consistency crumbles the moment reality hits.

And reality always hits.

What Smart Consistency Actually Looks Like

Don't get me wrong—I applaud consistency. I applaud authors who show up and do the work.

But I want you to show up with a plan, not just because you feel like you have to.

Not cranking out 2,000 words because your streak depends on it when writing feels like getting blood from a stone.

Not staring at ad dashboards when you'd rather do anything else but look at numbers.

Sure, some days things need to get done.

Your ads need monitoring so you're not throwing money into a black hole. Your manuscript has a deadline.

But here's what matters more:

Consistency is about effort: Show up, put in the time.

Commitment is about impact: Do what moves the needle because you believe in your mission.

Committed authors write when they have something worth saying.

They market when they have something worth promoting.

They show up with intention, not obligation.

And here's what happens when you work from genuine and passionate commitment instead of forced consistency:

The quality of your work transforms.

That chapter you write because your story demands it? Far better than the one you force out to hit your daily quota.

The newsletter you send because you genuinely want to nurture the relationship you have with your readers? More engaging than the one you publish because it's Wednesday.

The ad campaign you create because you believe in your book? More authentic than the one you launch because your competitor just did.

When your work comes from commitment rather than compliance, readers feel it. They respond to it. They buy into it.

The Author's Mission Test

Ask yourself:

Am I writing this chapter because it advances my story, or because I need to hit my daily word count?

Am I posting this newsletter because I have value to share, or because it's Tuesday?

Am I running this ad because it serves my readers, or because I haven't touched my campaigns in three days?

If you're just checking boxes, you're not committed. You're just consistent.

And you'll burn out much faster doing consistent busywork than if you're doing sporadic brilliance.

Here's a question that I ask myself multiple times per day... Does this task actually move my business forward?

If the answer is no, I drop it.

Doesn't matter how consistent you've been, consistent movement in the wrong direction is still the wrong direction.

The Flexibility Advantage

When you're committed to your mission but flexible with your methods, everything changes.

You write when inspiration strikes.

You launch your book when it's ready, not when your arbitrary timeline says so.

You market when you have something worth promoting, not because it's been two weeks since your last newsletter.

You adjust your approach when life demands it—without guilt, without drama, and without abandoning your goals.

This isn't giving up. This is choosing progress over perfection.

Your Real Challenge Isn't Consistency

The biggest challenge authors face isn't showing up every day.

It's finding the time and energy to do what actually matters:

✓ Writing books people want to read

✓ Building relationships with readers

✓ Creating marketing that converts

✓ Scaling what's already working

Life getting in the way?

Of course it will. You're human.

But commitment finds a way around life's interruptions.

Rigid consistency just breaks you down and makes you feel like a failure.

The Bottom Line

Your author business is there to serve you, not the other way around.

Stop beating yourself up for missing days.

Start asking whether you're still moving toward what matters.

Commitment gives meaning to consistency.

Without it, you're just checking boxes.

And readers don't buy books from box-checkers.

They buy from authors who believe in something worth sharing.

That's all for this week.

Thank you for reading and have a wonderful weekend.

To Your Success
Matt