All the Things

This week, I seem to have bumped into articles and videos about how multitasking and other hurried methods of producing usually have a negative effect on production…or it’s just where my mind is at this week and those articles stood out more. (My guess: the latter situation.)

Sometimes I think about moving on to a nice, new project, but…novels don’t get written if you don’t turn over at least a large part of yourself to them.

The urge to take up new hobbies and chase possible leads is always tempting, but when it comes to the one or two things you do very well, a focus bordering on obsession never hurts. (Or just admitting that you’re hooked and letting obsession wash over you.)

Do Not Turn Away from Your Thing

I’ve written about the importance of having a thing elsewhere. (A couple times, in fact.) Especially when writing a novel, which can take a long time to complete, the urge to do something new and fast is always a temptation for me. I think about creating other podcasts and returning to writing articles (and not just because they have always paid more than fiction).

But the novel as a thing has me hooked. Rarely is writing a novel fun to me, but there are few things in my life as satisfying as finishing another book. Because of that way of looking at novels, I can’t let other things take over.

I recently watched the video below and liked what’s said about being creative and wanting to do too many things at once.

You have to make decisions in your life, and as a creative person — you can’t do everything.

Turns from Breakwater Studios Ltd. on Vimeo.

The video is short and beautifully produced; I definitely recommend giving it your time. There are many other wonderful things said and made in the short span of this mini-documentary.

Doing All the Things

I recently mentioned in an episode of the podcast I do weekly with a friend that, if I had more time, I’d have loved to focus on music (cello, in particular). But when focusing on the thing you plan to master, the reality is it takes up most of your creative time. There’s nothing wrong with giving yourself to that thing you love and not trying to do everything you think about doing.

Ask me the creative things I do best in life, and my answer is this:

• Writing
• Juggling

There are other things I’m good at, but those are the two biggies. (And if I’m being honest, I can see a marked decline in juggling skill when I became more focused on writing.)

Writing is the thing I love doing most, so that’s the thing I’ve chosen to do.

Everything else is simply a hobby…