Many writers spend a lot of time at home reading and writing, maybe watching a little football and catching up on reality shows, which is okay. But even a writer can spend too much time reading and writing. There’s a whole big world out there filled with potential material, and we need to have actual experiences if we want to keep our writing fresh. For instance, Herman Melville signed up for a whaling voyage and then returned home to write his famous For Whom the Bell Tolls. (Read more.)