There are many writers who I wish had written more, and many who I wish had written a good deal less 
With many writers, like Tennyson, it's more the tenor of their poetry that appeals to me than specific poems, so I enjoy immersing myself. Perhaps he wrote too much, but then I've not read all of it! I have come across several writers of all genres who are almost certainly writing because they can't think of anything else to do, having been defined early in their lives (by themselves or others) as writers. So I suppose a true writer keeps writing until there's just no good stuff left amongst all the crap they churn out... because no matter how good a writer is, there's bound to be some garbage.
I think my own experience with writing is a fairly common one -- when I was younger and everything seemed new, I'd write every day. Some of those things I don't completely hate as they are, some have been cannibalised and turned into something better, and some I've just written off as a learning experience. These days I write mostly in my head, occasionally scribbling down a line or two that I think might not suck too badly, and wait until something really strikes me before I engage in the physical act of making sweet poetry. I really only write one or two completely new things every few months, though I do regularly check through old stuff because I genuinely love the editing process.
With many writers, like Tennyson, it's more the tenor of their poetry that appeals to me than specific poems, so I enjoy immersing myself. Perhaps he wrote too much, but then I've not read all of it! I have come across several writers of all genres who are almost certainly writing because they can't think of anything else to do, having been defined early in their lives (by themselves or others) as writers. So I suppose a true writer keeps writing until there's just no good stuff left amongst all the crap they churn out... because no matter how good a writer is, there's bound to be some garbage.I think my own experience with writing is a fairly common one -- when I was younger and everything seemed new, I'd write every day. Some of those things I don't completely hate as they are, some have been cannibalised and turned into something better, and some I've just written off as a learning experience. These days I write mostly in my head, occasionally scribbling down a line or two that I think might not suck too badly, and wait until something really strikes me before I engage in the physical act of making sweet poetry. I really only write one or two completely new things every few months, though I do regularly check through old stuff because I genuinely love the editing process.
It could be worse