Writing Podcast Episode 729: Ilona Bannister discusses her darkly thrilling novel, 'Five'

Oh, my writing tip.

That's a great question.

Where's my document? Here we go.

Have hobbies.

Oh, my God.

Okay.

Okay.

No, this is something, God, this comes up a lot.

And look, I know I'm incredibly privileged to live the life that I have and do all these fun things that I do and learn and study and stuff like that.

And sometimes when people say to me, like, how do you fit it all in? I'm like, well, obviously these things are a priority to me.

And I think what can happen with some people is they can feel like if I have a hobby, I am going to, I'm being selfish.

Right.

And I'm here to tell you, having a hobby does not make you selfish.

It does not make you irresponsible.

It does not mean you are suddenly going to stop caring about your family and you're suddenly going to stop doing all the things that you need to do to pay your mortgage and live your life and look after everyone that you have to look after in your life.

Having hobbies means putting aside time for something that you love.

And if that thing is writing, which if you're listening to this, it probably is.

then make time for that, you know, set aside time for the things that you love.

It does not make you irresponsible.

It makes you, wait for it, delightful.

Like

that.

Yes.

And it's so easy because say you had a hobby like knitting,

right?

Oh, my writing tip.

That's a great question.

Where's my document? Here we go.

Have hobbies.

Oh, my God.

Okay.

Okay.

No, this is something, God, this comes up a lot.

And look, I know I'm incredibly privileged to live the life that I have and do all these fun things that I do and learn and study and stuff like that.

And sometimes when people say to me, like, how do you fit it all in? I'm like, well, obviously these things are a priority to me.

And I think what can happen with some people is they can feel like if I have a hobby, I am going to, I'm being selfish.

Right.

And I'm here to tell you, having a hobby does not make you selfish.

It does not make you irresponsible.

It does not mean you are suddenly going to stop caring about your family and you're suddenly going to stop doing all the things that you need to do to pay your mortgage and live your life and look after everyone that you have to look after in your life.

Having hobbies means putting aside time for something that you love.

And if that thing is writing, which if you're listening to this, it probably is.

then make time for that, you know, set aside time for the things that you love.

It does not make you irresponsible.

It makes you, wait for it, delightful.

Like

that.

Yes.

And it's so easy because say you had a hobby like knitting,

right?