Ever have one of those days, where you’re just knackered, your concentration and motivation gone? Not a lot of fun, for anyone. It’s a hard one too; when you’re writing, and you know where your story is going, you feel compelled to write, but in a burnt-out state, you’ll just write drivel you’ll want to throw away.
So what do you do to stop yourself from hating your work and wanting to curl up in the foetal position for a day? Get a hobby. Harsh as that makes it sound; having something that isn’t your writing might just save your work, and your sanity.
As writers, we all know the importance of reading, and reading someone else’s work can be a great way to de-stress, if you can turn yourself off from writer mode. Taking a break to make a meal, have a bath, run some errands after finishing your writing and picking up your latest read is usually a good idea, gives you time to switch off from what you’ve been doing, and it will allow you to really enjoy your reading.
We tend to be solitary creatures too, squirreled away with our manuscripts, blocking out the outside world whilst we torture and tease our characters in our made-up ones. It can be a great feeling, carving out this piece of creative genius, but every now and then, we do need to get out and see other people. Even if it’s just to get your mother to stop phoning, wondering if you’ve died. Hobbies can be a great excuse for this; they’re a break from work to stop you burning out, and it gets you out of the house for a bit.
For example, I’m a member of a brass band; I play the Bb bass (the huge one, if you ever see a picture of a brass band), and it’s great fun. I started by brass training in primary school, and it’s just something I’ve always kept on the side. It does take up a fair whack of my time, between rehearsals, concerts, marches and cleaning the bass, but I wouldn’t give it up for love nor money.
Hobbies are a great way of gaining experiences, and getting first-hand knowledge of the sorts of activities and adventures you are putting your characters through. One of the biggest challenges facing writers is being able to make the reader really believe in their writing, in the experiences and emotions of the characters, and how better to do this than to have first-hand experience ourselves?
There are people who’ve taken up archery, for example, great for those who are a fan of medieval weaponry. Sports in general are a great way to shake loose, and of course keep healthy. Be it an hour’s dip in the local swimming pool, or joining a local sports team, if it gets you up and about, go for it.
Of course, hobbies don’t have to be all get up and go; anything you find fun and relaxing counts. I cook and bake a lot, experimenting and feeding my poor friends and family the results, to mixed reviews. It’s fun though, and I do count it as research; I sometimes limit myself to the ingredients you would be able to carry in travel rations, and see what I can concoct.
I knit and sew too, which is great for making costumes for parties, repairing clothes (I am rather clumsy), and making little presents for people. We writers tend to be creative sorts, so this sort of hobby fits us like a glove.
You know what you like, what sort of thing you find interesting, so nothing I am saying will be new to anyone. Just every now and then it does us good to be reminded that the world, sadly, does not revolve around our manuscript, that there are other things out there.
Mentally, it’s a fantastic thing; anyone who’s been at university, or had to study hard for any sort of exam will know that mental fatigue hurts, and that it takes a long time to recover from. Physical fatigue is often fought off with lots of water and a good dose of sleep, but knacker your brain, and it’s going to take longer. It’s much easier to take a break before you burn out, than try to recover afterwards.
So, in summary; hobbies are a great way to get out of your little world, make friends, gain experience, try new things, and maybe just find a hidden talent. No matter what media it is in, a hobby is worth investing in. So, what are yours?
This article was first published on June 19, 2012.
Richard Marpole
Jennie Ivins
My wife has to tell me this all the time. I get to involved in my blog or my manuscript (or this past week, my Kickstarter) that I tend to hyperfocus. She pushes me to make sure I do other things, even if it’s as simple as watching an episode of TV or writing about something that’s not manuscript/Kickstarter related. I think she’s pushed me to go running/riding my bike/playing tennis more than anything, and I’m glad of that. It’s helped my concentration when I come back in because I can clear my head.
It’s hard not to hyperfocus like that, but it helps so much to take a step back and realize that we enjoy other things just as much.
Good points. =)
Archery has been a side hobby of mine since I could draw a bow. I love it! Shooting a gun will never be as satisfying.
I use alternate hobbies as a break when my reading list is getting too daunting. Sometimes an afternoon of cooking or embroidery is exactly what I need to feel to relax and restart that book-loving part of my brain.
Or video games. Can’t have enough video games!