When I was writing my first novel, I gave little thought to my physical health—how I was sitting, the postage-stamp size of my desk, if in fact squinting down at a screen with hunched shoulders was a good idea. I had two small children and an urgent need to getContinue Reading
Sitting at a desk for long stretches of time takes a toll on my body in many ways. When I’m chugging along, it’s hard to avoid as many as 20 hours at a computer each day. But to be fair, this is the case with all of us who workContinue Reading
Sitting for long periods of time puts a strain on my back, neck and legs. Sometimes my hands cramp or my elbows tingle. My shoulders ache and my neck hurts. I have the opposite of the munchies—if I’m really in the zone, I’ll go until 4:00 in the afternoon withoutContinue Reading
I actually ended up with tendon overstrain as I was publishing my first book and it’s basically never gone away since that time. It starts in my thumb and ends up affecting me all way into my shoulder and neck the longer I work. It requires that I always useContinue Reading
For me, I’ve had issues that mostly stem from sitting at my desk for too long. That can lead to problems such as: back pain, eyestrain, hand/wrist pain, weight gain, and a slew of other physical health issues. I am sure that isn’t true for all writers, but for me,Continue Reading
Keeping properly hydrated [is my biggest physical challenge]. I get so absorbed in my work, it’s easy to forget to drink, and that neglect can affect all sorts of things in my body. (I also used to forget to go to the bathroom—ignoring urges—but we built a small bathroom withinContinue Reading
What is the biggest physical challenge of being a writer? I’m going to say maintaining spiritual wellness. I know, it’s not really a physical challenge, except that it is. In a way. Spiritual Wellness Encourages Physical Wellness As writers, we have to create that bubble of energy to keep ourselvesContinue Reading
I’m not sure if this challenge is singular to writers, but as someone who writes and has a day job, it’s hard to find/make the time to exercise. Thankfully I have a dog who HAS to go for a couple of walks a day, which gets me outside. A ChangeContinue Reading
by Camela Thompson Oddly, the biggest physical hurdle in my career as an author is also the reason I started writing. I have systemic lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disease that can target one or many systems. My body’s immune cells don’t recognize friend from foe, and periods of stress canContinue Reading
I began writing after a career in teaching— a profession that puts more physical demands on you than you might imagine. You are on your feet all day, teaching and trying to keep up with active children. I often came home exhausted. Writing has had a different set of challenges.Continue Reading
The biggest physical challenge of being a writer is tearing myself away from my story to exercise. Right now, I’m also dealing with sciatica, so I’m not exercising like I usually do. The sciatica pain is due to an old injury that has reared its ugly head again. Right now,Continue Reading
The biggest physical challenge of being a writer? The lack of movement. When I am sitting at my desk for hours, especially if I get into a creative zone, I have to literally stop and remind myself to get up and stretch, let alone get a proper workout. For me,Continue Reading