The Commitment of Time to Write

This was originally posted at my MSN group AspiringRomanceWriters@groups.msn.com
and I thought I would share it here too.

I am currently reading The Handbook of Novel writing by the editors of Writers digest.
On page 6-8 it discusses the time commitment to writing a novel. It said that to a person must write everyday for 2-4 hours a day.
This is one of the reasons I have not commited to my writing. It is like taking onanother job when but there is no way to know if it will ever pay off. am i
willing to spend all the time writing and then never get published. I have not decided that yet.
I just know that wheather I am ever published or not, I am a writer. I have been since i was 10 years old. I will sit and write and write stories for hours just because I feel the desire to put my words onto paper. Even if I am never published I know I will always have this desire. But I do not write on a consitent basis. I get inspired and write non-stop for days, weeks, months and then put away my writing for months or even for years.
So I know if I do want to become a published author I will have to decide to commit myself to years of everyday writing to improve my craft.
The odd thing is there is no other thing- painting, sports, etc- that I would dedicate hours to everyday. I have only one love- writing. It is not about if I want to write for 2- 4 hours a day. My fear comes from if that writing will ever amount to anything.