As a researcher, I may only produce 4 or 5 research papers a year, and one or two sets of lecture notes. Yet, I write almost every day.

Whenever I try to convince a graduate students to do the same, they look at me blankly. Yet, it is quite simple. To produce just a very basic number of research papers, you must write almost all the time. Spending 6 months without writing cannot be made up by rushing for the rest of the year. You have to always be working on your next research paper.

I am sure all writers, not just academic writers, have the same requirement.