"Going off the road just leaves me more time to be a writer"

Janis Ian's quote talks to the idea of relaxing from the stress of day-to-day life in order to concentrate on one's passions. By "going off the roadway," Ian is most likely referring to relaxing from the demands of her occupation as well as the assumptions of others. This break enables her to concentrate on her real enthusiasm: creating. By taking a step back from the roadway, Ian is able to devote more time to her craft and to her own creative pursuits. This quote talks to the suggestion that pausing from the demands of life can be beneficial in permitting one to focus on their enthusiasms and also to seek their dreams. It is a suggestion that pausing from the road can be advantageous in allowing one to focus on their real passions and also to seek their dreams.