Image from “A Tramp Abroad” by Mark Twain. |
First up, congrats to Christina Kit, who won the ARC of TRY NOT TO BREATHE! And everyone else, please do look out for TRY NOT TO BREATHE when it comes out next month (and Jenn’s debut THE SECRET YEAR, while you’re at it).
Now then! If you are a writer, chances are you’ve had to set something else aside that you like doing in order to free up the time necessary to complete a book.
For me, I really enjoy video games and used to play them a bit before writing. Now? Not so much. I also watch less sports and TV in general, go to the movies less, and if I weren’t indoors writing on the weekend I’d probably be out hiking.
What about you?
Cherie Reich says
I gave up Facebook games. I used to be quite addicted to them, but I realized they took too much time, so one day I just stopped playing them. Then, later on, I deleted the applications for them. I can't even say I miss them either.
Chris Blanchard says
I've also given up a lot of gaming, video games as well as table top games (RPG's and miniature games). Weekends are mostly for me to spend with my family, though I do get some writing in then, too, so I don't really feel like I've lost my weekends. Although, that said, there are weekends where I feel like I'm loosing writing time.
Patty Blount says
I've given up TV. I write during prime time hours and I don't own Tivo or DvR so I really have no idea about shows like Big Bang Theory or Modern FAmily.
I watch only 2 or 3 programs a week now.
Mr. D says
A lot less TV for me. I never got into video games or Facebook. And I still don't Twitter.
Thomas Galvin says
Sleep.
Boone Brux says
Sleep.
Juliana says
GAMING!
I was addicted to World of Warcraft! Best Game Ever!
Actually, I should keep away, otherwise I forget my life when playing lol
And I also watch less TV now. Not that I miss it, though …
Deep River says
Got rid of TV nearly 7 years ago. Since I work on the beach, I get 3 months off in the winter to write and carry a notebook for writing when beach work is slow. So I guess it's not a matter of giving up other hobbies, but a restructuring of life to accommodate writing.
Cynthia says
TV time has been cut short, that and sleep. LOL
Candice says
I've cut way back on TV, cut down to 1 workout a day, and given up long runs. I really do miss the extra physical activity, but for now, there's just no time.
Lori Oster says
Great question! I've given up being a crafty dilettante, so no more beading, sewing, or paper arts for me. I just gave away my extra art supplies and my mini sewing machine so they could no longer distract me from my writing.
Gracielou says
I never was big on tv, or facebook games, and I already had a problem sleeping. I really just give up the me time. In many years I haven't had a desire to do much so it hasn't been much to give up. Some of my best ideas come to me at about 12-1 in the morning so my bed and me are not on speaking terms. I think it feels like I hate it sense I only spend between 4-5 hours in it. But hey we all take sacrifices for the greater book.
Liz Heinecke says
I was an art major in college and used to paint occasionally, but now writing and singing have taken over my free hours.
Judy Clemens says
Sadly, I read a lot less than I used to. I love to read, and think it is a necessity for writers, but between family, writing, the day job, and reading, something has to take a backseat. I still read some, but not at the 100-books-a-year pace that I used to have.
Donna Russo Morin says
I REFUSE to give up my video games all together, but have vastly cut down…maybe once a month, if I'm lucky. The hardest hobby…reading just for pleasure. These days its research, research, research. I miss the stories that inspired me to become a writer in the first place.
Stephanie says
I'm big into crafting so I've had to somewhat give up scrapbooking. I get back to it when I can..when I'm taking a break from writing…which I do occasionally for a few days at a time. I do still watch TV…it's what I do at night to unwind and relax before bed.
Carrie says
I used to do a lot of crafty things like knitting and crochet. Since I need my hands free to write I don't do nearly as many of these crafty things.
Andreya says
For me it's not been "giving up" so much as "failing to pursue". For example: ten years after graduating college, I still have not upgraded my TV or gotten cable. I never picked up a gaming console. I don't have a pet. (Not one that costs any effort, anyway; the hermit crabs are essentially potted plants.) I haven't actually quit anything I enjoy, I just don't go out of my way to add other things I might like just as much.
K.T. Hanna says
MMORPGs… now I just obsess about writing instead 😀
Arief Zainal says
Gaming mostly. I still play games, but mostly on the pc. I'm not a tv person. The only time I do watch tv is either during dinner or lunch. Other than that, I'm stuck in front of my computer.
CobraMisfit says
Pole vaulting, cockroach taming, mambo lessons…the normal stuff.
Seriously, though, writing is one of my hobbies, so I don't feel as if I am sacrificing one thing for another. Putting pen to paper sometimes takes priority over another hobby, but I rarely find myself staring at a dusty piano or cold TV thinking, "Curse you, writing!"
Curtis Edmonds says
alsAbout three years ago, I found a whole bunch of tile that matched what I had in our master bathroom. I asked a friend of mine who does mosaics if she could use it to create something to hang on the wall. She said she was slammed with other projects, but I could do it, it was easy. I am STILL not finished with this, although I have written a novel and gotten my two-year-olds potty trained in that timespan, so there's that.
Jeanne says
I've cut it down so that I only watch 1hr of tv/week. And I barely ever knit/crochet anymore – something I used to do everyday. It's sad, but hopefully worth it.
Leigh Ann says
All of them. I only watch one TV show (Once Upon a Time) and only because I'm obsessed with it.
The only hobby I have left is reading, which is actually writing anyway…right?
Anna says
I knit a lot less frequently than I used to. But I still manage to sneak in enough time to work on winter accessories.
Walter Dinjos says
I love singing, songwriting, and drawing. But now it'd seem I've given them up for writing. I'm hoping to one day integrate my music with my writing. That's why I'm building a list of writers that can sing.
Joanne Sher says
Apparently, I wasn't the first person who thought of sleep ;). And yeah, that's SOMEWHAT true. But the big one for me is scrapbooking. I haven't done it in YEARS, and it was huge for me before I started writing.
abc says
I give up work. AT MY JOB.
Jenny Maloney says
Not nearly enough.
magpiewrites says
I gave up knitting and painting. And a full time job (but that had more to do with the kidnicks than writing.)
Shari Green says
I gave up TV, except for hockey games. So I get plenty of writing time right up until playoffs, then I'm in trouble…. 😉
Suz Korb says
Huh! I've given up absolutely EVERYTHING for my writing. All I do is stuff for the kids and everyone else in my life. And I write. I used to play the violin, crochet, go hiking, watch movies at the cinema. Now, I write. Bleh.
L.S. Taylor says
I gave up video games, too (but I married a gamer, so I can still watch sometimes).
I also gave up some TV shows. As wonderful as I'm sure they are, I just don't have time for a lot (and I still make time for a few good ones).
Anita Saxena says
Definitely don't watch as much T.V. Sometimes I wonder why I even pay for Directv. But then on Sundays when I get to watch the Steelers play from the comfort of my own sofa, I decide it's worth it. But, yeah, that's about it as far as television goes.
I also don't blog as much as I used to. Blogging can be a total time warp. But, I still enjoy it.
West Coast Fliesses says
I've played tennis since I was 7. In the last few years, I gave up being part of an organized tennis team – I used to play in a league (and I'm not half bad) 2x a year. When my writing picked up, I played on 1 team. Then, since I was always writing instead of practicing, I decided it wasn't fair to my doubles partner to just 'show up' and play like a hack. So, if I wasn't writing, I'd be out on the courts more. But to be honest, I much prefer writing!
Donna K. Weaver says
TV and my single FB game. No loss there!
Roger Floyd says
You're right, writing does take some time away from other things. I haven't given up hobbies as much as curtailed them. I used to be heavily into model railroading, but now I do far less. Photography, especially outdoors, too. I haven't given up TV that much because I never watched much to begin with. Sports and exercise I've even increased in order to get more blood to my brain and keep my weight down. But it's a good life and I enjoy it.
Arlene Hittle says
I've given up cross-stitch, crochet and (sadly) reading. Still play the occasional game of Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook, though.
simply call me Ira... says
same as you, I'll do hiking, cooking, or biking 🙂 they are all relaxing to me
Vera Soroka says
Sadly my housekeeping stuff. The house could fall down around me as I write. I think it already has.
Iliadfan says
Ballroom dance. I still think about it a lot. But giving up a pricey hobby means I have more cash for books along with time to write.
Cakes by Erin says
I definitely agree with Vera – housework! But I have cancelled cable, and spend more time writing, instead of watching movies.
D.G. Hudson says
I neglect my art and crafting for writing, but I don't actually give them up.
I don't watch much TV, and I give up sleep so I can get up early and write.
You have to make room for the passions in your life. . . or suffer cognitive dissonance. (That's a feeling that's something not quite right in your world's balance.)
Katherine Hyde says
Sleep.
Christine Mandiloff says
Friends, family . . . you know, fluff like that. Not really! But whereas I used to be quite social, now the word "hermit" fits quite well.
Sarah says
Social life/sex life.
Also – since I've been working on a historical novel, I can't read most historical novels. I usually get a couple of pages in and find some appalling anachronism, usually to do with a character thinking and/or behaving exactly as we do today, either with nobody around them blinking an eyelid, or (worse) shrugging off behaviour which would have got a person flogged, if not executed, during the actual 17th century with some absurd cliche about them being 'spirited' or some such. It makes me wonder if their writers read anything written before the present day.
Don't have a TV – never have.
tamw says
I used to be super involved in my kids lives.I'm still involved, but to a much healthier degree. Giving that up was actually a good thing. I also used to do a bunch of crafty stuff. No more of that. I feel like all my creative impulses get used up by writing and I don't have any left over for anything else. My family complains that I spend too much time writing, so I try hard to find a balance but–since I'm as obsessive as everyone else on here–it's difficult. haha. On the flip side of that, I've been happier in the last five years of writing than I ever was doing any other hobby. It definitely fills something in me that was missing. I wish I had found it years ago, because I was meant to do this all along.
Emily Anderson says
I think a more appropriate question would be: what haven't I given up?
Running (but I cut down to summers only so I can write more in winter)
Book Club
Everything else is gone, including:
Blogging (on my personal blog)
Scrapbooking
Volunteering (I used to be majorly active in the PTA, now I just do classroom volunteering)
TV (except a show or two a season)
Housework (okay, not a hobby, but my immaculate house isn't anymore)
Cooking (not that I ever loved it)
Sleep (I miss this the most)
Matthew J. Beier says
Painting (still love it).
Recreational TV watching (don't really miss it).
Reading for fun on weekend mornings at the cafe (now I make time either on the bus or just before bed).
Being more social (have to be careful with this one…I don't want to disappear).
Zabrinah says
I used to talk to my friends more. I've really abandoned a lot of socializing in order to keep my readers happy. But ultimately, I don't mind. I love getting an inbox full of emails, asking for my opinions/advice. It's always worth it in the end.
Best wishes from one blogger to another,
~Zabrinah