Serious Wednesday: Refresh Your Mind and Body

Last Wednesday, I talked a little about taking breaks. Today I wanted to mention a small way you can do this--even daily. 

One of the best ways is to do schedule daily breaks each day. I know it's hard, when writing, to interrupt that flow of inspiration. But, in my opinion, it's necessary. I'm not saying you have to stop in the middle of a scene or chapter, or wherever. I have no certain spot where you rigidly need to stop, but I do strongly recommend breaks. Only you can decide where those will be.

As for me, I like to finish an inspired thought (scene) before taking that break. If you need to stop for a few minutes to straighten out in your mind certain aspects of that scene, do it. Get up and move around. Do a chore that won't take long. Step outside and stroll or even sit in a favorite chair. Take a fifteen-minute nap. Play with your pet or children for five minutes or so. Walk up and down the stairs a few times. Sing (it's good for you!) Stretch. Do a couple exercises. 

It doesn't really matter WHAT you do. It's that you DO something other than write, giving your mind (and body) a brief rest. They say that a twenty-minute workout that gets your heart pumping gives you the exercise you need and refreshes your body and mind, aiding anything that ails you. 

Physically and mentally, this tip will help keep you on top of the world as far as writing goes. We all need breaks in life. Be sure to take YOURS!

Serious Wednesday: One Important Rule...

Downtime.

What do I mean? 

Writers push themselves many times. They have deadlines. Times when fans and readers want books, more of your books, and we certainly don't want to disappoint them. We push and push, sometimes book after book until...

Burn out overtakes. And that is not a good thing to go through. Let me share a bit about 2019 with you.

I was writing and writing, busy with getting everything done, one book after another, research, promotions and more. Until when 2019 arrived, I couldn't write. I tried, I honestly did. I struggled, with no thoughts, no ideas how to proceed, until I finally realized I needed a break. I needed a period of time to rest, collect my thoughts and enjoy life for a bit. 

That was my whole year. Rest, recover, rejuvenate my mind, my body, and soul. 

And in 2020, I was ready to begin writing again. I hit the ground running with two books published. 2021 has seen the same results. But I've learned one thing which I should have known all along. Sometimes our bodies try to tell us something important. It's okay to take a break. It's okay to wind down with other things that give our minds a break, our bodies time to exercise and overcome the focus on one thing that we love. It's okay to spend extra time with family and friends. It's okay to rest. 

Remember, if you feel you're dragging your "writerly feet" then take that break. Whether short or long, do it. Allow yourself to renew your spirit. You'll be much better for it. More relaxed. More focused. You'll have clarity of mind and that zeal to write will return. 

I highly recommend taking breaks. They're a valuable part of a writer's life! 

Serious Wednesday: Writing with a Time Limit

You, authors, who love deadlines and can peel off book after book living such a life---how do you do it and still keep your sanity? I mean, don't you have other responsibilities? Demands from a family you love? Activities that are either required, enjoyed or good for you? 

Now, I've already shared about keeping a schedule for most days that helps me a lot, but that doesn't stop the unexpected from hitting me high and low. Like last week and this one. It was like a meteor shower with constant something coming up or interrupting my time. I managed to get most necessary things done, but when it came to writing these two weeks, I failed. Not nearly enough words were written. So...

Why have a schedule? 

Because things will eventually calm down. 

Life will flow evenly again. 

Inspiration will hit, and I'll get those words written. 

So the days that seem futile (in my writing) or wasted, really aren't. Right now, I choose to look at them as a time of resting, refreshing my spirit and mind, thinking, plotting and getting ready to write several more thousand words and quite a few more chapters. 

So, the deadline I've set for this book is real, but I do believe I've got this, in spite of the interruptions.

 I will finish this novel!!!