This year I’m blogging my book De-Stress Your Writing Life. You can read it for free on Creativity’s Workshop every Friday. You can read Part 1 of this chapter here, and Part 2 of this chapter here.

Writing Feeds Your Life

While your life feeds your writing, it can also be said that writing feeds your life – it gives back to you in so many ways.

For example, it can give you:

• A feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.
• A creative outlet for the inspirations and frustrations of your life.
• An imaginative (and often compassionate) perspective on the events you witness.

Many writers find themselves feeling happier and healthier when they’re able to maintain a regular writing schedule. It nourishes their creative side, even giving them extra energy and motivation.

You may experience similar benefits when you write, but you may not have realised the connection until now.

So take a minute to ask yourself these questions:

• When I’m writing regularly, how do I feel for the rest of the day?
• Conversely, when I’m not able to write for a few days, how does that affect my mood and motivation?

The answers may surprise you.

Knowing that you’re a writer, and that you’ll therefore need writing fodder, can also influence the life decisions you make.

Here’s an example.

Choosing the Adventurous Path

No matter whether you’re a world traveler or so ill you’re confined to bed, a writer chooses adventure.

What do I mean?

A writer is someone who is curious – who wants to make sense of the world with their words. They are always searching for a way to take what they experience and transfer it onto the page.

They look for answers to questions that have never been asked. They find information and interpret it in fresh and interesting ways.

They explore new places, whether those places are actual locations or simply recesses of the mind.

They are constantly on the lookout for something to capture their attention.

This drive encourages them to ask questions like ‘what if?’ and ‘why?’ in the hope of discovery.

This curiosity and adventurous spirit leads them on many journeys – some of which only a writer could travel.

Taking the Writer’s Journey

Making writing a part of your life changes the way you view your role as a writer.

The term ‘writer’ is no longer something you need to achieve or earn, be it with a published work or a five star review. Rather, it comes to describe an element of you as a person, in the same way as terms like ‘daughter,’ ‘optimist,’ or ‘mango-lover’ may describe you.

The act of writing initiates a journey that you will continue for the rest of your life. There is no fixed destination, simply the wonderful sights and surprises you will pass in your travels as you investigate each fork in the road.

Understanding the Possibilities of a Writer’s Life

As you can see, the life of a writer does not just involve sitting down to a page and writing. It infuses every part of your life with a curiosity and depth of understanding.

We’ve covered a lot in this chapter, and plenty of it is theory. If you only walk away with one point, let it be this:

Writing does not need to be a chore. It can, and should, be a joy.

Too often we are exposed to the clichéd idea of what a writer should be. It sounds something like this:

Writers are recluses, socially inept introverts (who can even turn into hermits if they are not monitored).

They ponder things deeply, making them boring party companions and even worse spouses. They earn little and spend most of their time battling with writer’s block. They drink unhealthy amounts of coffee and while away their afternoons on park benches.

When things go badly, they become melancholic, turn to alcohol and eventually end up mentally unbalanced or contemplating suicide.

But as we have seen in this chapter, the realities of a writer’s life should be far different. You may feel something like the following description is a better fit:

A writer is a person who embraces life – who seeks to experience it in all its colours, complexities and inconsistencies in order to capture it on paper. They absorb information through all their senses, and constantly search for fresh sources of inspiration.

They make wonderful party companions because they seek to understand other people’s points of view. They enrich the lives of those they are close to by earning people’s friendship and respect. They spend most of their time jotting down ideas and words – after which they reward themselves with chocolate and walks in the park.

When things go badly, they find fresh perspectives and turn negatives into positives. They are hardy people, who make the world a better place with their words.

Doesn’t that sound like a happy and healthy person?

The writing life should be enjoyed, not endured. You do not need to suffer for your art. You can delight in your life and allow your writing to take you to mysterious, incredible and inspiring locations – whether they be real or simply in your imagination.

Now, let’s continue working together to help you find joy in your writing.
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Add your comment below. How does writing feed your life? How would you describe your writing life?

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Thanks for dropping by.