Writing Hint #39: Take up a hobby

I might be only guessing at this, but I think it would be safe to say that many writers started out treating their writing as a hobby, something they did in their holidays, weekends or any spare time they had during the week. Most start out writing on a casual basis in between all those things life throws at them, including a day job.

Now there is nothing wrong with that. I did that myself for nearly thirty years. My day job (elementary school teaching) sort of took over every aspect of my life. Writing was confined to short bursts here and there, usually during holiday breaks, or on weekends. It was a hobby only. In the last fifteen years it has gradually become a passion, and now that I’ve retired from teaching the passion can reach its full potential, for I now have the time. It is now no longer a hobby.

That causes a problem. Writers who allow their writing to take over their lives so that it is no longer a hobby have just destroyed the only thing that gave them relaxation time. The demands of writing regularly for a blog is one good example of this. Blogging can consume all of your previously spare time. You may be starting to resent the very thing that gave you such pleasure in earlier days.

Get a life

Alternatively – get a hobby. A non-writing hobby preferably. Something you can get passionate about and use to re-create yourself. An activity that recharges your batteries. I was fortunate that as I became more serious about my writing I developed an intense interest in birds. I now take every opportunity to get out into the Australian bush and go birding. Now I write about birds on my Birding Blog – but that is not a chore, it’s a real delight and a pleasure. Into that mix I’ve also taken up the hobby of photography as well, something I’d dropped for many years. Now when I take off outdoors with my camera, notebook, bird field guide and binoculars, I know I’ll not only be out to enjoy myself, I’ll also get so much material to write about that the writing becomes a sheer joy once again.

Good writing (and don’t forget to have good times of relaxation as well).

Galahs