My Creative Workflow as a Fiction Writer and Digital Creator

How do I stay engaged in the daily hustle and chaos of modern American life?

How do I eat well, raise a child, work a job, run a household, write fiction, build digital products, practice banjo, and still snag time for gaming?

Simple: I treat my life like a game.

I use gamified journaling powered by a TTRPG-style character sheet — just like the ones you'd use in Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder.

Mundane Chores? Turn Them Into Quests

Have to do the dishes?Laundry?Pay your car insurance on time?Buy conditioner and groceries?Fill the water softener with salt pellets?

Turn them into quests.

This tiny mental shift flips the switch from “ugh” to “let’s go.”It makes the mundane feel meaningful — like you’re actually progressing, not just treading water.

Real Rewards, Real Motivation

Want to buy a new game console?Craving cheesecake?Aiming for a second cheat day this week?

Use quest rewards.

For example, if you complete a challenge — say, “Chose broccoli over starch three times this week” — then you earn that cheesecake. And it’ll taste better, too.

In a world where instant gratification constantly wins, this is how I give myself an edge:

Progress feels good. Progress with purpose feels amazing.

What My Life XP System Tracks

My quests range from the mundane to the magical — literally.

I earn XP and rewards for:

• Folding towels

• Emptying the dishwasher

• Writing believable villains

• Building fictional villages

• Writing these blog posts

• And yes, vacuuming

This system keeps me grounded, focused, and creatively engaged — even on the hardest days.

Want to Try It?

You don’t have to build the system from scratch — I already made one.

Download The Real-Life Character Sheet for free and start organizing your life like it’s a campaign.Or check out Roll for Change — a full guide to discovering your stats, assigning quests, and leveling up you.

Because if there were a way to cut through overwhelm and feel rewarded while doing it...Why wouldn’t you take the quest?