Why I Love Living In The Countryside
(And how it inspires my writing)
I was born in Bury St Edmunds, and apart from a few years in Birmingham, London, and Glasgow, I’ve lived most of my life in the Suffolk and North Essex countryside (with another rural year in Arbroath by the sea).
When I was younger, I loved the city. Its energy felt electric — perfect for my early twenties.
But as the years passed, and as I started a family, I found myself drawn back to what had always felt like home.
The countryside.
The Wild Childhood That Shaped Me
As a boy, my days were simple. I’d climb oak trees, build dens, and play cricket on the village green until dusk.
We also played football, tag, and “Busby” or “20:20 Home” as I think it was called.
In winter it was sledging and snowball fights — and in autumn there was some go-kart building and a “death slide” between two trees to risk your life on too.
Me and my mate Jonathan built a hide one weekend to watch the wildlife in the field next to my house. We saw nothing, but ate dozens of packets of crisps. Perhaps the constant rustling scared everything away?
I had a big group of friends in the village, and we all enjoyed long summer evenings filled with running, exploring, and swimming in the river.
There were no screens or phones. Just freedom.
Those experiences shaped me. They rooted me in the seasons — the changing smells of harvest, the stillness of frosty mornings, the quiet hum of bees and butterflies in summer fields.
I used to get really excited when the neighbouring farmer harvested late into the night — and would lie awake listening with wonder.
Even today, glancing from my office window at the kestrel that often visits or hearing the owls at night — it reminds me why I love writing here.
Why Nature Makes Me a Better Writer
The countryside has become my muse. Not because I write about it every day, but because it fuels my mindset as a writer.
There’s something about the rhythm of nature that steadies me. It keeps me positive, grounded, and connected to a slower pace that modern life often erodes.
And here’s the thing: where you choose to live — and the environment you immerse yourself in — shapes your creative energy.
For me, the countryside isn’t just where I live. It’s part of my writing practice, part of my story.
Build Your Own Writing Rhythm
That’s why I built Weekday Writer — my short daily newsletter on becoming a consistent, profitable writer with simple systems.
Because your environment matters — but so does the structure you build around it.
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