For a long time, I thought creativity had to look a certain way. If I wasn’t writing, I probably should be writing. If I wasn’t working on a manuscript, I should be brainstorming a new story, editing a chapter, or planning my next book.
Sound familiar?
What I’ve learned over the years is that creativity isn’t a single road. It’s more like a network of winding paths that often lead back to one another. Writing may be my primary creative outlet, but it’s certainly not my only one.
When I’m not working on a story, you’ll often find me scrapbooking, journaling, Bible journaling, junk journaling, or working on any number of creative projects that catches my attention.
At first glance, those hobbies may seem completely unrelated to writing. But I’ve discovered they’re connected in ways I never expected. When I’m creating a scrapbook page, I’m still telling a story. When I’m journaling, I’m exploring thoughts and ideas. When I’m designing something beautiful on a page, I’m exercising the same creative muscles that help me build settings, imagine characters, and write scenes.
The medium changes. The creativity doesn’t. In fact, some of my best writing ideas have arrived when I wasn’t writing at all.
They’ve appeared while taking a walk. While organizing photos. While working in a journal. While quietly creating something with my hands.
I think part of the reason is that creativity needs room to breathe.
Sometimes stepping away from a manuscript is exactly what allows a story problem to solve itself. Sometimes inspiration arrives when we stop chasing it.
One of the things I love most about creative hobbies is that they remind me there’s no pressure to be productive.
No deadlines.
No word counts.
No expectations.
Just the simple joy of making something.
As writers, we spend so much time thinking about finished books, publication dates, and future projects that we sometimes forget the importance of creating simply because we enjoy it. That’s something I’m still learning.
Creativity doesn’t always have to lead somewhere. Sometimes the process itself is enough. Sometimes creating something beautiful is reason enough. And perhaps that’s why creative hobbies matter so much.
They refill the well. They spark new ideas. They help us slow down. And often, they bring us back to our writing with renewed energy and inspiration.
I’d love to know—what creative hobbies bring you joy?
Whether it’s gardening, knitting, photography, painting, crafting, baking, or something entirely different, tell me about it in the comments.
I always enjoy discovering the many ways people express their creativity.