10 Things I Do When I'm Not Writing
Writers are indeed writers. We love to write, read, and the like, but what do we do when we’re not writing. I can’t speak for everyone, but there are lots of things I like to do.
Though I want to lay some ground rules. I decided anything that has to do with my writing career cannot be included on this list. So things like writing and reading that would normally be on my list of favorite things to do won’t be here because in many ways that’s part of my writing. Things like that though are: writing, reading, learning about marketing, marketing, researching, and graphic design.
But with that out of the way, my top ten things to do when I’m not in writer mode (in no particular order):
1. Video Games. I am a Nintendo gamer. But I’m itching to get any Assassin’s Creed game I can to play on my Switch. I only have a Switch and a 3DS. So I am limited by that. But I fell in love with gaming when I got a Switch to see the amazing horses in "Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. And oh my goodness, I got hooked. I don’t even want to confess my hour count. I played Pokemon growing up, but that was all I was allowed as a kid. So Breath of the Wild was a breath of fresh air. So I enjoy playing Breath of the Wild, older Zelda Games, Pokémon, Skyrum, Mario Cart, Hyrule Warriors (you see a theme yet?). I also play Pokemon Go. I love being outdoors, and playing Pokemon Go after my Sunday meetings is one of my favorite ways to enjoy a relaxing Sunday.
2. I was given a bow and arrow set with hay bale to shoot at in the back yard at the age of ten. Ever since, I love going out and working on my marksmanship. I never could increase my range as the yard was only so big so I started learning to shoot with either hand, shooting in different ways to try to load the bow faster (a video talking about writing fun yet still more real archers to come maybe, if you’re interested.) I don’t have anywhere to shoot where I currently live, but if I ever find a range or place where I can get back into it other than my parent’s yard when I visit, I’m always up for shooting.
3. Swimming. I love to swim. I was so excited to move into a complex that had a pool. I like swimming under the water and working on diving training. I have a nice diver’s mask I use to go under the water and swim about. I do laps as well for warm up and work out, but it’s under the water I enjoy the most. You know, like a shark or mermaid #alreadymissingsharkweek.
4. Ballroom dancing. Okay, I’ll admit I barely get to do this one, but when I get a solid dance partner, I could dance for hours or days really. I enjoy dancing. I did ballet as a child, but then I started to learn partner dancing at a summer dance program, and I gave up wanting to be a ballerina. I wanted to learn ballroom and maybe teach it on the side. I never was much for competing because I just enjoyed doing it for fun. And I never had a partner who wasn’t obsessed with winning. I might enjoy competitive dancing if I had someone who did it for the fun of it and was okay just working hard to do the best and not angry if we lost, but guess that remains to be seen.
5. Cleaning. I know. Sounds crazy, but I like cleaning the house. Doing dishes is a great way to drown out all else and think. Maybe this is a bit too close to the border of something I do for writing, as I often will think about plot points and characters as I clean, but I love it. I also love singing along as I clean which leads into the next one….
6. Singing. I took singing lessons after I gave up ballet so I still had some lessons as ballroom was a once a week thing, and for my school I was required to have a twice a week class outside of normal classes (I was homeschooled in a charter school). I loved to sing along to song as a kid, but I wasn’t great. I wasn’t bad, but not great. Lessons fixed that and soon I was in musical theater because my teacher thought I was perfect for it, which leads to the next one as well…
7. Theatre. I love musicals. I also love Shakespeare. I was in seven Shakespeare plays as a teen. I adore Shakespeare plays (a retelling style I will likely do one day). Theatre has two parts. I love being in shows and performing the songs, dances, and drama, but I also love to go to the theatre. I’ve seen wicked over fifteen times. I’ve seen most of the musicals Disney has come out with, and I have a list of favorite musicals and Shakespeare productions for film and state.
8. Cooking and Baking. When I moved away from home, I had more cooking skills than all my roommates put together. I can make a pretty good homemade meal from macaroni and cheese from scratch, to a killer meat and potatoes mix, to cookies and homemade candy bars, and I know a lot of pasta seafood recipes. I have made up half of them actually. I really enjoy cooking for myself and others and learning to make them healthy and really good.
9. Gardening. This one is new. I started this last spring, and though construction at my building ended up killing my plants, I had a great time taking care of them, trying to save them, and learning what to do and not to do for next time. I’m already planning my next garden.
10. Hiking. I love hiking in the mountains or along the beach. I love the quiet, the view, and the way my heart races and legs burn as I go up the hill. Guess that make working out a side note for this one because I love the feeling of my heart racing and healthy sweat forming.
“10 Reasons I’m Secretly a Disney Princess” was another name for this list I had, but figured it might be misleading. But seriously, I cook, clean, sing, dance, act, and write. How am I still single? Anyway, writer’s aren’t all books and marketing. What is your top 10 favorite things to do outside of your love of books?