It’s getting harder to find regular incandescent bulbs. They’re being replaced by compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), halogen, LED (light-emitting diode), and other more energy efficient options, including a higher efficiency incandescent that includes halogen gas to slow the deterioration of the tungsten filament. According to the National Geographic, “On JanuaryContinue Reading
I have a specific health issue that began before I started writing in earnest, but which has been worsened by and made writing more difficult. I have cervical (neck) disc and bone degeneration, which results in nerve irritation and neck, arm, and hand pain. I have trouble moving my fingersContinue Reading
You trust your writer’s instincts. But are they always right? When I first started writing Loreena’s Gift, I remember calling my mom up in a panic. After exchanging the usual pleasantries, she asked me how the book was going. “Mom, she’s blind!” I burst out. “My main character. She’s blind!Continue Reading
One of the hardest things I find as a writer is giving myself permission to rest. Every day feels like it’s go, go, go, and when I’m stressed about writing, there are two things that fly out the window: good posture and healthy eating. I tend to hunch over myContinue Reading
Do you find yourself slipping into destructive self-criticism sometimes? If so, these statements may sound familiar: Another rejection. I guess my writing is just not good enough. My book’s not selling. Why did I think I had talent? Why did I say that in my interview? I sounded so stupid!Continue Reading
The biggest physical challenge of being a writer? Sitting. Definitely sitting. Spending endless hours in front of a computer screen is the first domino in a series of physical issues. Weight management, neck strain, eye strain, and aches all start with the necessary evil of showing up for work. IContinue Reading
By Si Quan Ong “Ugh…” You’re frustrated. Today has been a long day for you and you’re absolutely exhausted. What you really want to do is rest… but you can’t. You’ve promised your readers you’ll deliver your book to them—the book they are now patiently waiting for. The deadline isContinue Reading
It took me a long time to realize that all my aches and pains were from leaning over my laptop. Hunching forward like that, the chest tightens in a subtle way that strains the neck and shoulders. I had a tailbone injury years ago that also made sitting painful. IContinue Reading
Everyone wants to be more productive these days. We all have so much to do. Is it possible to do more in less time? Whatever apps you may use or tasks you may delegate, there’s one thing you must do if you want to stay on top of your “to-do”Continue Reading
by Tracy Shawn A while back I ran into my first writing teacher and made sure to thank him for his help in sparking my career as an author. In reply, he shook his head and gave me a wry smile. “I’m so sorry,” he said. I nodded, knowing exactlyContinue Reading
by Mindy Halleck My cancer doesn’t have a month. You know, when everyone runs, raises money, wears pink and celebrates the boobs or testicles they do or do not have, grateful for life. Yet in all of those festivities I, too, rejoice in the joy of surviving. And as aContinue Reading
When I think of physically challenging jobs, I imagine professional athletes, construction workers, or firefighters. Writers…not so much. But when back pain sidelined my writing, my gardening and even my ability to sit comfortably, I revised my thinking. So, though writing may not fit into an expected definition of physicallyContinue Reading