JasonRehmus.net

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

I watch TV. I read blogs and news. I can eliminate these things, but not completely.

For too long I believed that developing as a writer meant shutting out external voices and influences so I could get to the heart of who I am more naturally.

That’s not true, though. Each article I read plays a part in shaping my mind by giving me ideas to align myself with or to refute. I use that source material to shape my voice and my perception as a writer.

I could certainly eliminate the feeds and programs that merely serve to distract. Maybe the question shouldn’t be, “What can I eliminate?” but, “How can I enrich my time to positively influence my writing?”

A blank life leads to a blank page.