Everything Contributes

/ sarahnicolas

Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?

First, I’m not a big fan of this prompt. I know most of us doing #reverb10 are writers, but there are many who aren’t. So for those who aren’t, I hope you’ll replace the word “writing” with whatever else is a top priority for you and do this post anyway.

I don’t believe there’s much I do in a day that doesn’t contribute to my writing. Mainly because “contribute to my writing” is such a broad statement. My books may be about Fire Mages fighting demons and Irish goddesses reborn and steampunk submarines, but they’re also about people. And everything I read, see, watch, hear or experience contributes to my understanding of people.

As writers, we bring the sum of our experiences to the table every time we write, whether we know it or not. Every moment we have lived through contributes in some way to our writing.

So, unless you spend a large portion of your day simply picking your own nose, I don’t think there is a single activity that “doesn’t contribute.” However, there’s balance to consider. For example, I watch teen TV shows to keep up with teen culture. But if I spend five hours a day watching these shows, claiming to be doing research, and have no or very little time writing, that’s a problem.

What about you? Is there anything you need to be doing less of so you can focus on your writing/business/relationship/whatever-is-important to you?

This post is part of my #reverb10. Please visit their website to learn more.

Prompt: Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?

First, I’m not a big fan of this prompt. I know most of us doing #reverb10 are writers, but there are many who aren’t. So for those who aren’t, I hope you’ll replace the word “writing” with whatever else is a top priority for you and do this post anyway.

I don’t believe there’s much I do in a day that doesn’t contribute to my writing. Mainly because “contribute to my writing” is such a broad statement. My books may be about Fire Mages fighting demons and Irish goddesses reborn and steampunk submarines, but they’re also about people. And everything I read, see, watch, hear or experience contributes to my understanding of people.

So, unless you spend a large portion of your day simply picking your own nose, I don’t think there is a sing

Prompt: Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?

First, I’m not a big fan of this prompt. I know most of us doing #reverb10 are writers, but there are many who aren’t. So for those who aren’t, I hope you’ll replace the word “writing” with whatever else is a top priority for you and do this post anyway.

I don’t believe there’s much I do in a day that doesn’t contribute to my writing. Mainly because “contribute to my writing” is such a broad statement. My books may be about Fire Mages fighting demons and Irish goddesses reborn and steampunk submarines, but they’re also about people. And everything I read, see, watch, hear or experience contributes to my understanding of people.

So, unless you spend a large portion of your day simply picking your own nose, I don’t think there is a single activity that “doesn’t contribute.” However, there’s balance to consider. For example, I watch teen TV shows to keep up with teen culture. But if I spend five hours a day watching these shows, claiming to be doing research, and have no or very little time writing, that’s a problem.

What about you? Is there anything you need to be doing less of so you can focus on your writing/business/relationship/whatever-is-important to you?

le activity that “doesn’t contribute.” However, there’s balance to consider. For example, I watch teen TV shows to keep up with teen culture. But if I spend five hours a day watching these shows, claiming to be doing research, and have no or very little time writing, that’s a problem.

What about you? Is there anything you need to be doing less of so you can focus on your writing/business/relationship/whatever-is-important to you?

10 thoughts on “Everything Contributes”

  1. I'm so glad that I found your post on twitter this morning because the prompt had stumped me because I am not a writer. You just made this prompt perfect for me. Thank you!Now I have to get back to my research…drinking coffee.

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  3. Interesting take on the prompt – I can definitely see your post.Things I need to do less of – sleeping in, procrastinating, and worrying!If I got out of bed when my alarm went off, I'd accomplish more with my writing AND my business. If I stopped thinking and deliberating and started acting a little more often, I'm sure my results would improve. And if I stopped worrying about what people thought or how something was going to turn out, I would definitely create more freely.

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  7. Sarah, thank you for this! I had some of the same thoughts when I read the prompt this morning, you articulated them much better than my puzzled and not yet caffeinated mind. I completely agree that everything we do/see/feel/are contributes to what we do (whatever that may be). I look forward to reading your future posts!

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  8. Also, you said it more concisely than me. It will quickly become apparent why I can reach 50,000 words without feeling I've said much during #NaNoWriMo, but like that process I think that #Reverb10 will be good practice for a rusty skillset.

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  9. Great response to this prompt, Sarah. I like Leo's writing, but like you, I wasn't crazy about this prompt. That being said, I think it did its job in highlighting an important point: that living a full life and writing can't be mutually exclusive.

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