How Being a Writer is Less Writing and More Everything Else

Just because I'm a writer doesn't mean I'm writing all the time. Because really, if I was writing all the time, I wouldn't have anything to write about. It's an odd conundrum. What came first, the chicken or the writing?

Instead, actually composing sentences and putting my thoughts to electronic document takes up about 20% of my time, the other 80% is doing the things that will lead to the writing. Because you can't make a cake out of thin air, and you can't write if you don't do anything worth writing about.

So here is what I do instead of writing. Which consequently influences the writing:

Wait for people to respond back to interview inquiries
Because a journalist is not a journalist if she doesn't have sources, and multiple viewpoints to back up her central idea.

Interview

Because I am not at that point in my life where people will actually listen to my opinion. And also, I don't work for Fox News so I can't just make things up.

Transcribe interview

So I'm not furiously writing while I'm interviewing and so can concentrate on the person rather than how fast my hand is going

Read the "New York Times"

Because it is the Mecca of journalism and I must know what's going on in the world

Read the blogs

Because I must know what's going on in the cyberspace. And I also get my recipes from there

Read a novel

To read a different kind of writing so that whenever I write, I will phrase things in more creative ways so instead of writing this: "Today, this happened. Then that happened. And according to this person," I can write this: "The sky was a murky gray as I made my way to the coffee shop on State Street, where (insert name of person here), dressed in a brown turtleneck, sat waiting."

Update my blog

I already started it so can't give up on it now. And who knows, my potential employer might read it. And sometimes, you just want to write and not be so formal about it.

Socialize

So I can practice my skills at repartee, so that when I interview sources, I can crack a good joke rather than, after an awkward silence, say: "Umm, so tell me what you think about this." And so I have potential fodder for the blog.

Go to class and learn some useful skills

These days, you can't just be a writer.

Draw/sing/watch a movie/Youtube/theater/something actually entertaining

So my writing doesn't become stagnant, boring and work.

Laying face-down on my bed and wishing I picked a more steady career-path
Because at the end of the day, when a person does not reply back to you, or you can't figure out a catchy way to begin an article, or what you're writing is mediocre and not even your mother would want to read it, you wonder why you chose a career path where every time you commit words to print, you put a little bit of your soul out there for people to see and judge. And there are also no health benefits to it, unless you're one of the precious few who are fully employed, or your spouse has insurance. Everyone is entitled to a bit of doubt and frustration from time to time, especially as a writer, where rejection is an everyday occurrence.