Other Influences

When you start to identify yourself as a writer you become accustomed to thinking about writing, about writing tools, about creative expression. The whole nine yards.

Somehow the allure of being an author takes over from anything else that you ever did. You forget about the former you and get on with the new you.

Then one day, you start looking at something that you left half done, back in the dim and distant past and you realise that there's something missing in your life. This author thing is important to you. But there's something you used to do that you need to do again. It turns out that it's part of who you are.

For me it's writing software and building electronic devices. It's more of a creative experience than  most people realise. In my case I started with a need and a budget. I ended up with a replacement controller for my hot tub. It filled a need that I have, a bit like eating chocolate.

Oh no, does that mean that I'm not a serious author?

Well I don't think so. When you discover these influences in your life and accept how important they are to you, that's important too. When you realise you're more than a one trick pony, that feels quite good. This other influence is something real that you need in your life, get used to it, it's part of who you are. You're not playing hooky from school, you're not turning your back on the author thing, you're just remembering that you can do something else. It makes the author thing more real and there's a new depth to what you can do. It can actually bring new facets to your writing.

Guess what. It will happen again and again. Embrace it.🙄