Alex.J.Cobalt

Get a hobby, people say. Normally roughly around the time when you’ve sighed about work and not having much to do at the weekend.

But then, finding a hobby is easier said than done. Especially when you’re in the middle of a slump and staring down the barrels of existence wondering how on earth life is supposed to have meaning beyond the 9-5 grind.

So, this blog is for you people, the ones that are a bit lost and looking for something to do – this is my reason why if you have ever enjoyed the written word, you should give writing a go.

It’s all yours

Now, depending on what kind of person you are, the idea of solitude and quiet thought can either fill you with joy or with dread. I’m the kind of person that needs some quiet space in between the busy-ness of the day, and writing helps me carve out that time which is just for me. No obligations to anyone else, just me and a blank page with some good music on the background and suddenly the world falls away and I’m in the scene.

So that’s why I recommend trying writing as a hobby – even if it’s not creating fantasy stories or magical worlds, you can make space for you. And in a world that is becoming ever busier, that is incredibly important.

Writing is Cheap

Hobbies, like anything in this world, cost money to some level or degree. If you wanted to try a new sport or a new activity, there could be membership fees or equipment you have to buy.

Writing can be like that. But the beauty of writing is that it also can just be as simple as a spare piece of paper, a pen and an idea. You don’t need lots of equipment to create stories or connect your ideas with the world.

Not got the time? Writing has your back

If you go on any kind of social media and follow writers you’ll see many people with photos of beautifully laid out desks, a writing schedule of 15 hours a day, and beautiful views. And all of those things are good and fine and valid, but you know what?

You don’t need all the time in the world to write.

Sure, if you’re trying to make a particular goal you’ve set for yourself, there might need to be more time allotted to it – in the same way you might need to train for a marathon if you’d signed up for one. But to take up writing as a hobby doesn’t need hours of wistful thoughts staring at great vistas. It can be just 10 minutes whilst your waiting for dinner to cook, tapping away on your phone.

So give it a go!

Give yourself ten minutes, a prompts list, and see what you come up with! I hope, just maybe, you will find as much joy in your new hobby as I have.

Alex.J.Cobalt is a fantasy writer from the UK. When she’s not working away at her fantasy novel series, she posts free flash fictions on her website, along with regular blogs about writing.

Photo by Fotografierende on Unsplash

Want writing advice delivered to your inbox? Sign up for my monthly newsletter below!

Check out my privacy policy for the legal bits about signing up to my Newsletter

• Goodbye January
  January has come and gone in a blink of an eye it feels like. I’ve been improving my wordcounts on my novel, and had a few plot-based breakthroughs this month that … More Goodbye January
• My thoughts on Ship of Magic – beginning the Liveship Traders Trilogy
  Having finished the Farseer Trilogy, I then had a decision whether I wanted to follow the rest of the Realm of the Elderlings storyline in chronological or published order. I decided … More My thoughts on Ship of Magic – beginning the Liveship Traders Trilogy
• Closing thoughts on 2022
  It’s the end of December, and the end of 2022. This year has been a bit of a rollercoaster, and the last few months in particular have taken me away from … More Closing thoughts on 2022
• September Wrap Up
  September has come and gone in the blink of an eye. For me, September has been a month of trying to get back into doing normal things, following August throwing me … More September Wrap Up
• My Thoughts on “The Rings of Power”
  Normally, I try and have my opinion pieces about books that I’ve read. However, this month, books have not been read. My lack of commuting over the summer has meant my … More My Thoughts on “The Rings of Power”
• Summer’s End
  August is always a month of re-set. Even though I am long past the educational systems’ September-September year, there always is this sensation of starting a new cycle at the end … More Summer’s End