Do Other Things Besides Write

 

Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, it really helps to have other things going on in your life besides writing. Why? Because writers cannot live on words alone.

 

Seriously, though. If you really want to write realistic characters, it helps to know how real world people communicate, interact with each other and the many different kind of lifestyles that they live. What kind of jobs are they working? How do they manage the work-life balance? Where are people going for vacations? What’s everybody talking about? How are they talking? These are all important things to know.

 

And if you write nonfiction, then communicating with other people, socializing, attending events, volunteering, participating in activities and getting out there to DO things can all add material to your work. It can also help you get more information, as well as ideas.

 

Years ago, I was the kind of writer with no social life. I spent hours at the desk every day, blissfully writing. I am not sure if my work suffered for it, but my health sure did. I gained a lot of weight (it didn’t help that at the time, I was an alcoholic), and I developed other health problems because of my very sedentary lifestyle.

 

Fast forward to the present day. I am alcohol free and while I still write a lot, I am also doing other things with my life. I’m going exploring, attending events and getting out there to talk to people. I truly feel that my writing is better for it.

 

Another benefit of living life while being a writer is that you get more ideas for things to write. You will get inspired to write something just from an experience you wouldn’t have had if you were at the desk writing all the time. Plus, listening to conversations other people have while out in public can give you ideas for things to write as well as clue you in to certain snippets of creative forms of dialogue people use (such as interesting sayings).

 

It may be tempting to write all day every single day, but you would be doing yourself a huge favor doing other things with your life besides writing. Take on other hobbies so that you have another skill besides writing (such as painting) or go to school to train for a career. Volunteer in your community or pitch in to help a friend. Whatever else you choose to do with your life besides write, it will enrich your life and make you a better person for it. It will also help you to be a better writer.