#Reverb10, December 2nd

The Prompt: Writing. What do you do each day that doesn't contribute to your writing -- and can you eliminate it?

This is focused on people who are a little bit more serious about their writing than I am, I think. However, if I relate it back to my songwriting, which has been severely lacking in the last year or two, I think I can answer the question.

The primary thing I do each day that doesn't contribute to my writing is work, if we're being honest. And no, I can not eliminate it, because then I wouldn't get paid, and we've all seen what a hot mess I am when I'm not getting paid. But, at the same time, some of my best songs were written while or because of my work - namely, while I was standing a watch on the bridge of my first ship while we were off the coast of Virginia, I wrote my song "Especially You," which was featured two years ago on a compilation CD. So maybe that's not entirely something I do that doesn't contribute to my writing after all.

However, I'm sure that the time I spend undwinding after work playing Spider Solitaire or watching last week's episode of Parenthood doesn't do a whole lot for me. I really should cut down a little on that and dedicate a certain amount of time every day to writing, even if its just jotting down some ideas or some one-line lyrics. It would be better than nothing...

While I doubt I'll eliminate everything that I do that keeps me from wanting to write on a daily basis like I should, I do need to make a conscious effort to at least cut down on it all. This prompt made me really think about how much I'm NOT writing, and how much I kinda miss it.