Ice skating only takes up a few hours a week. When I'm slow, I revel in the luxury of time to work on the craft of writing. Let's face it, when you have deadlines, phone calls to return, and cranky software, it's really hard to be creative.

My favorite technique is to outline great articles in The New Yorker, to see how they are put together. I also like to do writing exercises. If I have the time, I research my grammar pitfalls; if I ever have the time to master "lie" and "lay", it will be time to retire.

Many writers I know like to participate in online writers workshops, such as those operated by Chuck Palahniuk and Zoetrope: All-Story. Even if you don't want to commit, both sites have ideas to keep your mind in shape until the assignments roll in.