Writing is part of who I am, but it is not all of me. I like the description of myself as a house filled with various rooms, each with a different purpose. If I give all of my attention to only one room, making it bigger and more elaborate thanContinue Reading
Maybe you’d like to work with a writing teacher, but you can’t afford it right now. What if there was a cheaper way to learn more about writing? I made a trip to Colorado last month. From my place, that’s about a day’s worth of driving. I’m not big onContinue Reading
I’m so excited to be featuring Melissa and her work with deaf and other disadvantaged dogs in “Writing for Change.” Melissa is doing great work to raise awareness about the mistreatment of unique groups of animals. She was recently honored with an “Honorable Mention” in the 22nd annual Writer’s DigestContinue Reading
Who are your writing heroes? Can you name them—right now? Do you know who they are? Does it matter? I’ve asked a number of people these questions. I’ve been amazed by how many blank looks I’ve received. Maybe it’s because my writing heroes are so important to me—and I believe,Continue Reading
Hollywood isn’t known for its multi-layered box-office smashes. They don’t often make millions with metaphorical masterpieces. The general word is that Americans don’t like them. They like their stories nice and neat, simple and straightforward, properly wrapped up and sealed at the end. Apparently, that’s why many of them scoredContinue Reading
Being sedentary for so long [is the biggest physical challenge of being a writer]. Not getting enough exercise. And posture/eyesight—it’s so easy for me to forget re-adjusting them every so often. I’m in the process of trying to lose weight that I gained the last several years. So the “sedentary”Continue Reading
In a former post, I talked about how working at the computer for several hours a day can cause problems for your eyes. Studies have even found that over time, computers can change the composition of our tears, increasing risk of dry eye syndrome. You can look away from theContinue Reading
My biggest physical challenge is finding a comfortable place to write. I get terrible backaches from sitting in the same position for long stretches. I’ve tried different chairs, different desks and writing tables, different screen and keyboard angles. Sometimes I sit on my bed, my legs stretched out straight, myContinue Reading
I conducted my own very non-scientific survey. I searched every author feature on this website. Over a quarter talked about how yoga helped them stay physically and mentally well. That’s well over the number of all adults who practice yoga. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health’sContinue Reading
If only writing burned calories. It sure would be nice to look in the mirror and say, “Wow, look at these abs . . . those daily writing sessions are really paying off!” *Sigh* Like a lot of writers and artists, my biggest physical problem is sitting on my buttContinue Reading
As a writer, you may be looking for ways to boost your health. After all, the profession isn’t one that naturally promotes a fit body and mind. We sit too long. Snack on unhealthy things. Skip exercise. Overwork ourselves. And we often fail to take time off. It’s not easyContinue Reading
I’ve had trouble with neck pain. For awhile I couldn’t work for more than 30 minutes at a time. I also developed wrist and thumb pain. Apart from the computer I sometimes lose my voice after a presentation—and could never do two in a row. (Hey, I have dry eyesContinue Reading