The biggest physical challenge is being sedentary. My two favorite hobbies—writing and reading—require no more from me than sitting still and turning pages or typing. And I’m way too comfortable with that. For example, I’d never look up from my computer and say, “Hey! You know what? I think I’llContinue Reading
A couple weeks ago, I told you all about my trip to research my current work in progress (The Beached Ones). Now I’m back home, the trip is over, and I’m processing the whole experience. I thought it only fair to warn you—this type of journey isn’t for the faintContinue Reading
My biggest physical challenge has been repetitive stress hand annoyances plus overall discomfort at sitting too much. I’m always trying to improve my desk situation, but this high-minded approach has only arisen now after several years of sitting on a couch, virtually curled into the cracked screen of my laptop.Continue Reading
Situation: I’m in the second draft of my work in progress. My characters travel across country, from Iowa to California. Dilemma: I’ve either a) never been to the locations where my characters stop along the way, or b) it’s been so long the places are dim in my memory. SolutionContinue Reading
I’m a big believer that the quality of my work is directly related to how my body feels, so I try to be good to myself. Exercise makes me a better writer, so I typically fit something in every day. A good workout is like a mind cleanse; it resetsContinue Reading
My biggest physical challenge since I’ve begun writing full time is being indoors for so much of the day. I’ve tried working outside in nice weather, but I can’t seem to do any meaningful writing, just light, daydreamy work, though it’s a good place to edit. Deeper work eludes meContinue Reading
I think stiffness is the biggest physical challenge of being a writer. We sit for hours at a time, hunched over a desk. I write all of my first drafts and take research notes with pen and paper, which alleviates the eye strain from looking at a screen. Still, IContinue Reading
I told my friend Kelly I was working on a piece about writing and wellness and she said, “Fiction, right?” If there’s anything physically healthy in the act of writing, I haven’t found it. I live too much in my mind. I suffer from “cerebral congestion”—an occupational hazard of bothContinue Reading
I’ve enjoyed subscribing to C. Hope Clark’s “Funds for Writers” for over a decade. This mystery writer’s stories of how she’s dealt with the challenges of the writing life are always inspiring, plus I learn of several new contests, freelance markets, and publishers through her listings. Along the way, HopeContinue Reading
In looking over the many author features here on Writing and Wellness, I’ve noticed one thing that keeps coming up again and again. Have you seen it? On Friday, May 2, 2014, I read Steven Pressfield’s latest blog. There it was again. Even this former Marine and hugely successful authorContinue Reading
Spending large amounts of time looking down—be it at the computer screen or if I’m writing freehand—is very hard on my neck. I was in a riding accident several years ago which resulted in a pretty severe neck injury, including damage to a nerve cluster called the “brachial plexus” onContinue Reading
Writing vs. having written—which do you prefer? I’ve heard colleagues say writing is difficult and painful, while “having written” brings achievement, elation, pride. “I asked a Hamline workshop once how many of them actually liked to write and most of them preferred having written: the pride in finishing, the appearanceContinue Reading