For my entire writing career, I have lived with the dual roles of writer and student. These are two roles that are difficult to juggle, as both demand a lot of attention. Writing is my passion, but unfortunately, it often takes a backseat to my education. The busy life of aContinue Reading
Just a couple of years ago I weighed over 270 pounds, the heaviest I had ever been. I am down to a comfortable dance just above what I would consider my ideal weight of around 210. That comes in part from being a workaholic, something I am recovering from, andContinue Reading
I am still working full-time in addition to being a writer, so I am on my computer 10-12 hours a day between work and writing. I work out of a home office that is not set up ergonomically correct, so I consistently have back, neck and shoulder pain due to poor postureContinue Reading
“The perfect is the enemy of the good.” In writing and in life, I have to remind myself of that fairly often. Do the best you can and don’t worry about it beyond that. But I worry. I stress. There’s no shortage of things to fret about. From the purelyContinue Reading
by Pat Stoltey 2015 was a bad year for me, a year of stress and discomfort way beyond my usual challenges with arthritis and fibromyalgia. The laundry list of unfortunate incidents is too long to chronicle here. Two of the biggies: I spent more than three months early in theContinue Reading
When you become a writer, there’s a lot that other writers don’t tell you. There’s your newfound coffee addiction, back pain from sitting in that computer chair all day, anxiety, weight gain, eyestrain, headaches, and much more. Being an author is supposed to be some magical profession, that when youContinue Reading
Typical writing session: Write sentence. Stare at screen. Get up, go to fridge, open fridge, stare inside, close fridge. Sit down. Write another sentence. Get up, go to cupboard, take out box of crackers, eat crackers, sit back down. Delete last sentence. Stare at screen. Repeat process. Consuming something whileContinue Reading
My biggest physical challenge as a writer is definitely not getting enough exercise. But on top of that I drink WAY too much coffee. Five cups of (fully caffeinated) coffee is an average day for me. I know it’s excessive so I’ve cut back on the amount of sugar and creamer IContinue Reading
Writing is a very solitary endeavor. It’s easy to feel lost, to doubt yourself, to feel like you’re wasting your time creating something that no one will read, and if they do, won’t like. Add to that how close the kitchen is and before you know it, half—who am IContinue Reading
I would say that I am really disciplined keeping a regular exercise regime. I was a dancer so that kind of discipline was instilled early on. I find that classes like Yoga, Pilates, and TRX are better for me then going to the gym. The hardest thing is showing up. OnceContinue Reading
I struggle with neck and shoulder tension, and of course sitting for long periods of time adds to those issues. Taking frequent stretch breaks while writing and a regular yoga practice help. I also love massages when I can afford them. You Need Friends and Teachers Who Uplift It’s difficultContinue Reading
The biggest challenge to being a full-time writer for me is a routine. Routine related to wellness, you ask? Working outside of the house offered me a strict timeline both when I was a air traffic controller and when I was a teacher. I hit the gym at four-thirty a.m.Continue Reading