If you’ve missed my witty, random posts, tweets, and status updates don’t fret. I’m sick of being sick and back to scratching out and reworking my words. (Better known as revising.) To help spark some creativity, I thought it would be fun to write a post about what I’ve learned while being sick this week. Three-fourths of my household was sniffling, wheezing, and hacking for four days, and I wish I could say I was the one saving the day with chicken soup and grape popsicles. I was, in fact, the sickie hit flat on her back, completely unable to focus on a single sentence.
Here comes the whoa is me portion of the post… It’s Spring Break, I’m determined to finish revisions on Defend, the weather is perfection, I have plans (hiking, laser tag, painting pottery), I need to write Defend’s summary, next week is Defend’s cover reveal… It’s Spring Break, for heaven’s sake! Being sick wasn’t on my radar, and when the germs crept into our home I thought I could beat them back. Instead, they beat me down.
Now, back to what really matters, what I learned while only being able to breathe through one nostril. You’d be amazing at how applicable these three points are in every facet of your life, especially writing.
1. Don’t ignore the inevitable.
In this case, I’m referring to the moment you realize there’s an itch at the back of you throat, or an ache in your bones. Not stopping to take care of yourself will just add to the recovery time needed to fight off all your symptoms. I promise it’ll take twice as long in the end if you wait.
In a writing way, knowing your deadline and working toward it can be important, but don’t risk the integrity of your storytelling for a little square on your calendar. Your intricate subplots getting worked out or your character’s development hitting the mark is more important.
2. Consistency is key.
When you’re sick, you have to take your meds regularly. If you don’t, you’ll die. Not really, you’ll just feel like you’re dying. Being consistent, and swallowing pills the size of Easter eggs or gulping down syrup that burns your throat is the best way to ensure you’ll recover. A cold can linger and come back if you’re not actively, consciously taking measures to heal.
Writing everyday, or at the very least on a schedule, will not only produce words, but it will make you a better writer. Consistently living out your story may sound wacko to a bystander, but to the average writer it makes sense. You want to speak your character’s language and know your settings ins and outs. You also want those aspects of storytelling to be fluent and fluid as you write. If you’re consistent you’ll unlock a healthy way of writing.
3. Fight.
Sometimes, we think fighting an illness is all about living life like we’re not sick, but shoving sickness aside doesn’t mean you’ll be able to leave it in the dust. Fighting a cold is all about drinking your OJ, taking an afternoon nap, and sipping warm chicken broth. You have to give your body the chance to conquer those germs, and rushing through another day’s monotonous routine may feel like fighting, but it’s keeping your immune system from working it’s magic.
Everyday, you should be fighting the blank page. You may be struggling with a book idea or a character’s choice, but you can write in, under, over, around, through it. You can even choose to spar with another sheet of paper with another story, tackle your receipts in a finance spreadsheet, wrestle with a new blog post, or defeat a new marketing idea. Fight.
I hope that these points make sense to you. I promise, I waited until I was out of the Theraflu haze to write this post. LOL!
