Trail in Rockport Michigan

 

Writing and your health

 This is going to be long but I promise, it does impact writing. One of my biggest problems is balancing/ prioritizing time. I feel guilty when I don’t get certain things done or spend time with someone instead of writing. Over the years I’ve had to learn what matters most. I might be passionate about writing and it makes me happy but so does spending time with my children, that time I will never get back if I let it go. It helps as children get older and more independent but while they were little, they were my top priority. I enjoyed the NaNoWriMo months, it kicked my butt into setting aside time. Something I’ve never been good at. Let alone proper balance.

Not everyone can set aside eight hours or more a day to sit and do nothing other than writing and not get interrupted. Maybe if it’s your full-time job it would be easier to schedule your time to do this. But when you have children, animals, a spouse, a home to care for, and working (working in the medical field it was always twelve-hour shifts), it leaves little time not only for writing but also for self-care.

I started writing for an hour before I would sleep at night, unfortunately, because of that I would dream about my books and wake every so often when I had an idea I wanted to add to it, I didn’t leave it for the later because I knew I wouldn’t remember. I did find I wrote my best at night but I also didn’t have any distractions, at least until certain people found I had free time then and started wanting attention which made it another emotional struggle.

If the struggle wasn’t enough, I pulled my son out of public school to teach him at home which was good timing since covid kicked in and half the time people didn’t know if their kids were going to school or at home online for school. I pulled my son simply because he was falling behind and the school's approach to teaching wasn’t working. The school wanted to sign him up for an IEP which I wasn’t against if it meant he would get more help or the teaching approach would be better applied to his needs. Nothing was going to change and the one-on-one with a special teacher wasn’t happening either, no changes at all other than allowing him more time to finish or dismissing certain grades. That wasn’t going to teach him. My son would cry every morning I tried to take him to school, he hated reading. So I knew I needed to change this. I’m not against schools, some children thrive better but when the only time they get to socialize with other students is taken away and it’s the only thing they enjoy, it's time for changes.

My son is doing much better now and I left the healthcare industry for several reasons. The strange thing I found, even though I’m at home more than before, between lessons, cleaning the house, caring for the pets, and spending time with family. I still hadn’t set aside much time to write. There was also another problem that I take full responsibility for. In 2018 I finally stood in front of a mirror, we don’t have any mirrors in our house. For one reason or another they end up broken or torn off the wall but that’s its own story for another time. I saw my reflection and hadn’t recognized myself. I gained so much weight, no one said anything other than a particular nameless person who called me the “C” word and many other derogatory comments. This isn’t a person I would ever go to for advice so her vicious attacks meant nothing to me either. I might not have let it bother me but I still don’t need to hear it and neither do my children. It was the main reason I didn’t go outside and was stressed because there was a safety issue to it also. For my family, the covid restrictions were a blessing. I had a year of peace to focus on my health, my family, and to spend time outdoors.

However the moment I saw my reflection I realized I let my health go. I was exhausted and hadn’t watched what I ate. I never had an eating disorder, portion control wasn’t the issue either. There were simply healthier foods I could have chosen instead but I picked convenience. After a 12-hour shift, my feet killed me for standing the whole shift and knowing I wasn’t done when I got home. I picked up a meal at Burger King on my way home. I consumed a lot of calories. On my typical day, breakfast was a sausage egg and cheese biscuit of 550 calories, lunch at the hospital ranged from 300-to 900 depending on how much caffeine I consumed, they had several healthy options. Dinner on my way home would be a basic whopper 734, fries 406, drink 213. Those were based on small sizes, most of the time I ordered large and I consumed on average 2 liters of pop a day. I consumed between 2203 to 2803 per day, that didn’t include any snacks I had later. I liked munching chips or pop while I wrote. More often than not I consumed anywhere from 2500 to 4000 calories a day.

Once I left healthcare I was even less active and hadn’t exercised. Before when I worked I came home and sat staying off my feet. Later I bought a Fitbit and found my average steps were 200 per day. I knew I needed to make changes and it wasn’t only for myself but for my family. We needed to get healthier and learn to balance the time we have. We started going for walks in the evening. I stopped drinking sugary drinks. I wanted my kids to know it's okay to have them but keep them in moderation. I found I drank more soft drinks out of boredom than thirst. For a year I drank nothing but water, tea, or lemon juice in my water. I had one day a week we ate out which was fine, I had been keeping track of what I ate all day in a diary, so I would pick the healthiest thing on the menu, at some restaurants it wasn’t easy. Each person needs to find what works for them but I managed to stick to 1200 calories per day and for myself that worked. By 2022 I had lost 75 pounds. I slept better at first which was nice but I have a history of insomnia which always messes with my sleep. I won’t go into that right now since it would be a novella on its own.

Between taking the family for walks in the evening when the weather is nice, or walking on the treadmill myself, having a written schedule helps, even for time to write I’ve had to schedule it in. I found afternoons work best for me, pets are sleeping, and my son gets free time on the computer but is still monitored. I’ve been compared to a helicopter parent, I make no apologies for that. while he plays I write. while I'm writing this he's playing a Roblox game and he likes to make sound effects himself, he’s pretending to be choking on a tree stump, not sure why but he’s creative and using reading and writing skills while playing. He thinks it's just a game but it's promoting reading. Which is great. Not all kids can be set down with a book and be engrossed in it. At his age, I couldn’t get my hands on enough books and I was passionate about reading. I still am. My daughter takes after me on that but both my sons didn’t care for reading so I introduced them to certain games that required reading to complete quests.

My daughter wrote two books and I published them. My youngest wrote a book. I told him to write what he wanted to read about. He did, still working through it but eventually, he could publish it if he wants.

Everything you go through as a person, physically, mentally, and financially affects you, it affects your writing. It's learning from experience and writing from experience. It's more relatable when you have experience, drawing from your life or those you observe. It doesn’t mean you can’t write about things you don’t have experience in. This gives us the chance to research, and visualize ourselves in these circumstances. There is so much from our life experiences to draw from, especially imagination. To come up with a story to write. While I walk, I think about my stories and the direction they are taking as characters.

I use writing as therapy. I might write more in the afternoon now before it was at night and now that I’ve gone back to work at night, I’ll find another time to write. It’s easy to be hard on ourselves, the pressure and guilt of where our time belongs. Don’t ever compare yourself with anyone else, especially well-known authors. Because they don’t live your life. My life and experiences are only an example. It’s a matter of finding what works for you. What I will say is important is your health. It's difficult doing something when you're not feeling good even though that can be used as inspiration also. Write and take care of your health.

Getting ready to write for NaNoWriteMo

 Writing a book for Nanowrimo month

 

Writing is a great way to be creative, expressive, and explore. Regardless of whether you achieve your goal or not, the important part is you started. Getting started isn’t easy, especially if you’re thinking of writing a quick novel in a short time frame. At least you can plot out or get an idea before you start in November or the summer writing camps.

The first and main focus is the point of the story. What is it about? What do you want to write about? It's easier to write a story about something that gets you excited. I tend to write the same type that I read. Usually, if I’m reading a book, there are always things I wish other authors had written differently. There’s nothing wrong with the book, it is not my book and I would have written it differently. It's why I love writing because I am in charge of my imagination and this is when you get to put it out there.

Will you be writing about magical creatures, vampires, werewolves, pixies, dragons, warriors, kings, and queens? Possibly a poetry book, a themed one that follows something throughout each poem. Possibly a memoir? Whatever you choose to write, don’t pick the easy-to-write story, pick what you're passionate about. If it’s something you're excited about, that makes it easier to stay motivated and stick to your goals.

If you're unclear about certain topics with the genre you chose, research it. There are plenty of places on the internet to get information and of course, there are always books out there on countless subjects to learn more about. I’ve had people ask me if vampires can have bad breath. I usually tell them, their vampires can have anything they want them to have. I would say yes. If I wake up with bad breath, why not vampires? I’ve also been asked if it's okay to write historical romance with fake characters. If it's fiction historical romance, yes the characters are generally not real. The surroundings, social etiquette, traditions, customs, dates, and events will truly help with the authenticity however the characters living and experiencing their lives are not real people. When the entire book is written about the life of someone who lived it, then it's a memoir. How do I know so much about various genres, especially ones I don’t write myself? Research and plenty of it. I don’t set out to write historical fiction but I do enjoy including it in my stories. This may be something you want to include in your writing or stay away from. It all depends on what you have the desire to write.

So far, figure out what you want to write about, research the genre you want to write about, and other important things to work on. How are you physically going to write it? Using a phone and an attachable keyboard, laptop, desktop computer, or by hand? If by hand, do you have plenty of paper, pencils, pens, erasers near you so you don’t need to hunt these things down when you start? Get comfortable when you write. Sometimes I find myself sitting on the dog bed with the dog writing on my laptop or squished on the corner of the couch with two dogs and my son while they are watching television. I’ve tried writing at night and still sometimes do but I realize I’m not going to get much sleep. Unfortunately, if it’s the only time I get to write then it's worth it for me. I sit on my bed writing when I can. Sometimes finding times to either write or edit takes creativity. If I waited for the perfect time and place to write, it would never happen. If you can go somewhere and write then by all means do it. Everyone needs to find what works for them because life happens. There are always interruptions and other countless things that go on that can affect when you write.

I know many will say it's important to have an outline for a story. I never do. I will use a spreadsheet to keep track of major and minor characters' names, ages, birthdates, characteristics, habits, hobbies, catchphrases, bad habits, how they relate to other characters. Mainly if I don’t know something or need to remember, I can look up a character and all their information is there. If a character is like an extra body in the room then I don’t bother keeping track of them and generally, they don’t get a name unless it’s a personal setting but again, not too worried about the less than minor characters.

Many will swear by an outline. Determining what happens in the beginning, events in the middle, and what leads up to the end of the story and possibly writing out how the end finishes. I don’t do this because I never know what I’m writing or where the storyline is going. I tend to find out along the way and many times my character will take on a life of its own determining it doesn’t want something to happen to change the entire scope of the story. I love being flexible like this and being able to change. It doesn’t mean what you write in an outline is set in stone. It can be changed but if you follow something straight to the line it might be a little more difficult but not impossible.

One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given came from my daughter. I never realized I did this until she pointed it out and she let me know I needed to learn, not to rush my endings. It's true. Take time with your ending. You may choose a better ending or something you’re happier with than the first simply to finish it. The ending is as important as the beginning of the story. Because those last words are the words your reader is going to end on and will be stuck in their minds. The beginning of a story needs a good hook to keep the reader going. No book is nonstop action-packed, but you need to give a reader a reason to read past the first few lines. That is the same with the ending of your book.

Whatever you choose to write for your nano project, remember not to be hard on yourself and to have fun. Writing should be enjoyable, something you love, and not a chore you need to squeeze in. I squeeze in my writing every second I get but it's important not to think down about yourself. I know it's easier said than done. Wanting to feel you accomplished something is difficult but in the long run, if you pace yourself, take pride in what you write, you will have an amazing story you can be proud of. Be proud of the fact you took the time to write, writing isn’t easy but eventually, you will learn what works for you.

Good luck to everyone writing their stories!

Writing with Spreadsheets

 I write my story as I go. I don’t normally layout what is happening in each scene however I will occasionally write something I want to happen at some point during the story. I love using spreadsheets for an issue I do have. I forget my characters' names. Not that it doesn’t fit them, I forget people's names in real life, especially if I hear it once. I have a difficult time remembering names and if I associate it with something, I won’t remember the name. I remember what I associated it with and that’s all. So that technique doesn’t help me.

When I put a character's name in the spreadsheet, I’ll include any relevant information about that character. Their birthday, hair color, eye color, skin tone or texture, who they are friends or related to, where they work, special talents, quirks, allergies, where they were born and raised.

A spreadsheet simply makes this easier to do, especially if I need to look up something I put it in search and it will pop up. I keep a spreadsheet for each book unless it happens to be a series then all of them end up on one which helps me from using a name multiple times for various characters even if they are not a lead.

Trouble with writing

The most common issue of writing that I hear from everyone is starting the first chapter. Whether it's writing an article, novel, report, or something else. It's a matter of starting that first sentence. We know it needs something to catch someone's attention, especially if we want to keep them hooked or interested in reading further. Unfortunately, not every portion of a book is going to be action-packed and reports never are unless you are giving a memorable speech.

When starting your first sentence in the story, before writing anything. I want you to picture the setting, picture your scene, and what your surroundings look like. This doesn't have to be where you start your story but getting a physical image in your mind can help figure out where you want to start. What are your characters doing? Where do you want your readers to enter the story, after it already started in the middle? Mix it up a little and have it start not quite at the end, possibly a, “maybe I should explain how we wound up in this situation” type beginning. Is there something your reader needs to know before reading the story? Perhaps, skip the start and delve right into the middle of the story. I’ve had several important scenes, determined where they needed to happen, and pieced them together and the beginning became clearer what I needed to write.

If you’re still stumped, I love reading a favorite book or any book by one of my favorite authors. I like how Stephen King starts each of his books. Anne Rice is another favorite of mine. Go to your local library and stand in the fiction section or non-fiction if that is what you happen to be writing. Pick up random books and read the first three sentences. After reading each one, ask yourself what it's saying. Ask if it has your attention, if not how would you reword their beginning to catch your attention. Sometimes reading someone else’s writing can be easier to change than your own.

If you’re still stumped, it could be you are putting too much pressure on yourself. Some people need to sit and write for so many hours a day while others could write something, stop for a year and pick back up where they left off. If you have the itch to write but not quite the story you’re working on. Try a writing exercise. Pick an object near you and describe it in writing. After you write it, see how you started the description.

Writing frustration

Writing might be my passion, but it can also be frustrating. I felt broken and discouraged from writing. I had lost four of my stories that I worked hard on, fully finished and edited. They were ready to be published and sadly I could not find a backup copy. My upload to cloud failed and the backup disk it was on could not be read. I am the type of person who can sit down and write for hours if I’m not interrupted which isn’t easy. When you have a job, schooling, children, animals as you can see the list could be endless for what could cause interruptions.

I stopped writing for quite a while. When I thought about writing again, I bought a new cheap computer for writing only. For some reason at the beginning, it was not letting me safe anything, so after writing 9k words in a story I had lost, it was gone again. I did take that as a sign to quit, but I love writing so much. Even if no one else likes my writing or I find one person who enjoys my writing, I'll feel accomplished. My passion no matter how much I try to discourage it, won't let me stop. I daydream stories and situations. There are characters I want to know more about and to follow them around. I want to stalk my characters.

I have a few of my books published, sadly I need to rewrite a few that were lost. Thankfully, this time the family secrets series is intact however I lost several of my singles. I could continue to be depressed over this, but I choose to see a positive side of it. This gives me a chance to make changes and write from another direction. I’ve restarted the story Innocent several times and I’ve found each time I have rewritten it; I enjoy it more. It isn’t always easy to sit down and type away, sometimes sitting down with the intent of writing clears my mind easier than meditation. It’s one of the reasons I will think about my characters while making coffee or tea. I’ll walk around the house. Once I went up and down our stairs thirty times, nothing more then that and thought, wow, my character Rose would be concerned while her brother Lucian would be laughing at me right now. Anything to get yourself into that frame of mind. Sometimes sitting down isn’t for everyone. There is voice to text that have improved over the years and many write while driving, jogging, playing at the school yard with their kids or pacing around the house. Find what works for you.

There will never be a time where your passion for something cannot irritate the hell out of you. Its okay to be frustrated and even a little angry over what seems to be your driving force.

If you find yourself having self-doubt about your writing, remember the main thing. Writing should be enjoyed, love what you write and if you don’t, start over. Even if its not a good story, did you have fun writing it? Did you enjoy your story? Think about what you might do differently with it. Tweak the characters, change setting, add more detail or possibly less detail. Write down a character’s name and everything you can think about that character, positive and negative, what you like and hate about them. Sometimes this can help you develop your story better when you find out how your character will adapt to the situation they are thrown into.

Right now, I have instrumental music playing, it instantly helps kick my mind into the right frame of mind for writing. Everyone is different. The main point. Don’t give up. If you don’t write your story, then how am I or others ever going to read it? Don’t let it rot away alone in your brain.

Much needed break

          writing may be my passion however when you spend to much time doing something you love it tends to lose its glimmer, at least for myself it had. I became more frustrated with it and with other things going on in life it was to much trying to squeeze in. I had been working at the hospital, then switched to an AFC home. I love caring for others and I take pride in making them comfortable and happy. I had taken almost a full 3 years off from writing even though its been longer than that for my books. Currently I have Mercy which is finally finished with editing and cover is being worked on right now. once that is done I am hoping to have a release date soon.
          I had not been able to recover several books I had on a thumb drive and sadly 2 of them were not saved on anything else so I am currently rewriting them. One of them I felt drawn to more this time rather than last. Most of the beginning is the same however the middle journey and ending is going to be quite different and I'm very happy with it and can't wait to share that with you once its finished. I hope to be much more active on here as well with facebook. I have a twitter account but I find I don't use it. Only posts that go there are occasionally from facebook.