This week: Act on Your Interests Edited by: NaNoKit  
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Is there any hobby or interest you'd like to give a go, but haven't? What's stopping you?
Everyone needs some 'me' time. It is important, then, to act on your interests.
This week's Action/Adventure Newsletter will encourage you to go ahead and do just that.
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As you are reading this newsletter, I believe that it is safe for me to assume that you have an interest in writing, and that you acted upon this interest by becoming a member. I remember when I joined the Writing.Com community. It was April 2004, and I was so, so nervous about sharing my work with others! I had a couple of poems and a short story, and I hesitated for a while before posting. I feared that people would be unkind. That they'd mock my work. English is not my first language, which didn’t help, and whilst I’ve enjoyed writing stories ever since I was a child, I’d pretty much kept them to myself.
I wanted to learn, however, and a part of learning is to be open to feedback. I soon received it. One person called my story ‘Shakespearean – and not in a good way’, but the rest of the members who’d taken the time to review my work were kind and helpful. I learned a lot straight away; for example, I’d never even heard of stanzas before. I was gently led to a whole wide world of poetry techniques, and it was wonderful!
I knew, then, that I’d made the right decision. It was good to be a member of this community. Time has proven me correct – I’m still here! And my writing has vastly improved. I still have those first poems and that first story in my portfolio, because people were kind enough to award them and because they are dear to me. It’s good to see how far I’ve come.
During the pandemic, my mom has taken up diamond painting. From what I have seen it requires endless amounts of patience, which I do not have, but she appears to find it relaxing. My dad’s into colouring for adults, using gel pens on black paper. My sister’s trying out different meditation techniques. Several people I know are into gaming – I do enjoy some games myself.
Recently, though, I spoke to some people who don’t have any hobbies. They work, cook, do their house chores, watch something on TV and go to bed. Each day the same, no real time to themselves, nothing that they’re passionate about or that helps them relax. When you dig a bit deeper, though, you’ll often find that people who do not have any hobbies do have interests. Sometimes they used to do something – paint, build collections, write, knit – but over time life got in the way. Other times they simply don’t know where to start. It’s a shame, because I believe that everyone needs some ‘me’ time. Time that’s not taken up by the things that we must do. Time that is ours, in which we can explore our passions, our creativity, those things that we love or are curious about. It’s not a bad thing to sit and watch TV. There are a few shows that I love as well. It is a valid way to spend time. It’s also good, however, to have some active ‘me’ time, to be doing, creating, rather than be a passive consumer.
There are limits to what we can do, of course. I got back into Formula 1 last year, but I won’t be able to attend a race because they’re very expensive! I have to be a bit more passive, then, though I enjoy keeping up-to-date with everything online, so I don’t just sit there and watch. Money can be an obstacle to us acting on a variety of interests; if I could, I would travel more, go see the Northern Lights, go to air shows, I could keep on studying whatever I want for the rest of my life. It’s not like that, or not for me. Not for many people. We have to be realistic, then.
Which is okay. Many hobbies and interests have a range of options available. You can build up your tools/materials over time. If you wish to collect something the cheaper, more common items are a good starting point. There will no doubt be online communities full of enthusiasts willing to share their experiences.
That is certainly the case here on Writing.Com. You are surrounded by friendly, enthusiastic readers and writers and you have a huge range of opportunities to learn and explore. Do you want to try your hand at form poetry? There are contests to help you practice. Free verse? Short stories? Long stories? Novels? Action? Romance? Horror? The community has you covered. And if something doesn’t yet exist on the site you are very welcome to set it up. There will no doubt be others willing to join you!
It’s good to act on your interests. Even if it’s daunting, the rewards you’ll discover down the line make it worth it.
Best of luck, and have fun!
NaNoKit
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Some contests and activities to inspire you:
And don't forget:
It's a perfect round for Action/Adventure writers! If you haven't yet written in the genre, why not take this opportunity and try? You never know!
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The Action/Adventure Newsletter Team welcomes any and all questions, suggestions, thoughts and feedback, so please don't hesitate to write in! 
Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
The Action/Adventure Newsletter Team
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Action/Adventure: February 09, 2022 Issue [#11208]
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