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
The biggest challenge is definitely getting up and moving! When I’m on a roll, I just want to sit with my laptop for hours on end. At my 9-5 job, I’ll even use my lunch break to write when I’m in the middle of writing a novel! That’s a lotContinue Reading
Stressful environments are a huge challenge for me. Quiet, fragrance-free and allergy-free environments are the only way I can flourish. Fragrance drifting from the neighbor’s laundry will short-circuit my brain. A way to manage “imperfections” in your surroundings is to embrace the annoyances. Observe them as a writer and useContinue Reading
One of my biggest physical challenges to writing, and many other things, was neck pain and headaches. Like most everyone else who stares at a computer as part of their job, I hold my tension in my neck and shoulders. There were plenty of times I couldn’t write because ofContinue Reading
Gosh, these last two years have held so many physical and mental challenges for me that have really messed with my writing ability. I used to sit down at a computer and complete ten, fifteen pages a day with no problems. I knew exactly where I wanted to go withContinue Reading
Whether I like it or not, the dang human body needs sleep, even if I’m on a roll. I tend to stay up way too late writing, much to the chagrin of anyone who has to deal with me during the daylight hours. I work out as often as IContinue Reading
I have a few physical issues—occasional back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome—but for me the biggest concern right now is too much sitting. I keep up with health news, and there’s been quite a lot of discussion lately about the negative impact of being sedentary, even if you exercise regularly (whichContinue Reading
It is difficult to be physically active when writing and this is a challenge for me as I am a very active person. Furthermore, when I write I consume large quantities of gummy bears. I ride intervals on a stationary bicycle five times a week. I walk a lot; thisContinue Reading
I think one of the biggest challenges is setting up a consistent exercise routine. Some of my best writing time is early in the morning, but that’s also my best workout time. When I’m on a writing streak, it’s hard to take a break to exercise, but I’m always gladContinue Reading
Being both writer and artist is a double-whammy in terms of the long-term health consequences of a sedentary lifestyle. I developed severe near-sightedness in my early teens (which made me even less likely to go outside or get active) and I’ve always struggled to maintain a healthy weight. While IContinue Reading
Time is the biggest challenge I face. Oddly enough, I often feel like I have too little and too much time. The reason is this: I need large blocks of time (90 minutes or more) to get into the proper mental space for good writing to happen. But instead, IContinue Reading
Fortunately for me, I paid my dues with unwise behaviors long ago. For years now, I haven’t eaten sugar or drunk alcohol or used drugs. I still drink loads of coffee, though! During my time herding goats in the mountains of France, I learned how good it feels to liveContinue Reading