Writing has been a passion of mine since high school. I’ve found a lot of benefits to it and it offers an escape for me to forget about the world at hand for a hot minute. I still write when I get the chance. It isn’t as often as I’d like, but it suffices. There are many benefits to writing – more than just advancing your grammar and English skills. These are my Top 5 reasons why I think it’s a good hobby and escape to have.
Getting lost in your own world isn’t as crazy as it sounds.
You’re not crazy if you need to escape reality for a little bit. Life gets tough and sometimes, we just need to let go of it for a little bit. When you write, it’s easy to do. You’re creating a world of characters and a different reality based in your own mind. You are the master of their fate and what happens in this fiction world.
By doing this, you can forget about the happenings in politics or the fight that you got into with your parents. It gives you a chance to de-stress your mind and body. You’re mentally leaving, but you’re physically staying put.
You get to play God for a little bit.
Going off of the last reasoning with being the master of fate, writing lets you become the controller of all things. Where you might not feel like you’re in control in reality, you can have that sense of control in your writing. The characters do and say what you want. You want Character A to slap Character B with a fish and then act like nothing happened? Okay. Without taking on the responsibilities of God, you get to do the job on your own terms.
Watching the world burn without actually watching the world burn.
Causing conflict is another plus to why writing is a good escape. If you’re upset about something, you can express your stress and anger through your characters. You can cause them to get in a fight or for conflict to occur, whether that conflict be between two characters or one that will effect them in the long run. Either way, it’s a good way to let your anger out.
Throwing the perfect curve ball.
Plot twists are one of the most fun parts to do when it comes to writing. Life’s going great and smoother than a baby’s bottom and then BAM! Something comes in out of left field that makes the character’s life all out of whack. It’s one of my personal favorite parts of writing. I love writing something that will leave my reader’s jaw on the floor. Being unpredictable is exciting.
Don’t let go of that cliff.
When you write chaptered works or even if you don’t, having a cliffhanger makes it all the more intense and interesting. As maniacal as it can be, leaving your reader wanting more or asking questions to get the answers gives you a sense of satisfaction. That means you know that your readers are successfully invested into the story and they’re connected to your characters. Sometimes, it even motivates you to continue on with the story.
Or not.
While writing can be stressful, it’s also fun and a great way to relieve stress.