Preston Watamaniuk, the CD on Anthem, once told a frustrated Producer that the Writer tasks couldn’t be scheduled as rigorously as he wanted because “Writing is like Jazz”.

I’ve held onto that phrase ever since.
Now, before any other Producers (or backseat Producers) clutch their pearls, I *don’t* mean “Writers can’t be scheduled”. Of course they can. Don’t be silly.
What it means is that, when it comes to creative tasks, velocities can vary. You must take into account factors like inspiration, “juice”, and the need for iteration to achieve a vague definition of quality.
Those factors don’t mesh well with a scheduling system that wants to break down tasks into minute detail, like you often can with other groups like Programming. Writing being different, however, does not mean it’s *irresponsible* - at all.
So what makes writing like Jazz? The need to account for that artsy-fartsy “creative process”. Yes, I will take three naps. Yes, we will spend an entire afternoon arguing about Sailor Moon. Somewhere, after all that, we’ll get ‘er done. If we’re good, that is.