Author's Blog

The Nitty-Gritty About . . .

The Latest

1. The Nitty-Gritty About Reduplication – By Mark Nichol – Daily Writing Tips – http://goo.gl/2EvVb

2. Bad Publishing Contract Clauses – Part 1 – By Writer Beware – http://goo.gl/BtP4y

3. The forever recession (and the coming revolution) – By Seth Godin – http://goo.gl/wftvT

4. How to Find Your Writing Voice – By Heater Home – Procrastinating Writers – http://goo.gl/8O8xU

5. Universal Story and the Mythic Journey – By Plot Whisperer – http://goo.gl/ZFmz5

6. Survey: Have You Ever Read a Self-Published Book? – By Nathan Bransford – http://goo.gl/EOqt5 – As usual, another beautiful and inspirational painting!

7. EazyWallz – Amazing Personalized Wallpaper Murals for Boring Walls – By E-Junkie.info – http://goo.gl/H1fIj

8. Vote for Your Favorite House 2011 Solar Decathlon – By Bridgette Meinhold – inhabitat – http://goo.gl/pLL4K

9. China Set to Launch Its Own Space Station; Mission: Unknown By David Axe – Wired – http://goo.gl/26KGk

10. How to Get Rid of a Skunk Without Losing Your Dignity – By Ashley Watson – Wise Bread – http://goo.gl/KrPJZ

 

Post

How many good habits do you practice when writing? Read about “Health and Writing”  at http://alandracl.com/blog/2011/09/30/health-and-writing/

 

Quote of the Day

“My task…is, by the power of the written word to make you hear, to make you feel – it is, before all, to make you see. That – and no more – and it is everything.” – Joseph Conrad

 

 Book Release

Mercury Rises by Author Robert Kroese

 

Health and Writing

One day, I began to think about how well I really took care of myself as a writer, one who spends hours slouching behind her computer desk, constantly focusing on the screen, and forgetting everything around her.

Of course, nutrition is important and so is a regular exercise program; however, I was looking more so at my habits while writing and finding remedies that I could incorporate that would contribute to the betterment of my health, during my writing hours.

During my long days and often nights of writing, I began to critically access myself from the top down.

Mind

Do I clear my thoughts enough?

For someone, like me, who often writes many hours straight through, forgetting to take any descent breaks, the thought seldom occurred to me.

I alleviated this problem by getting out of my office for a short time after two or three hours of writing, to refresh my thinking . This distraction enhanced my creativity, often giving me a new perspective on my writing.

Eyes

Do I give my eyes enough breaks from the hours of staring at the bright screen?

Being so absorbed in my writing, I seldom gave my eyes any consideration other then when they screamed from dryness or ached from tiredness.

Every fifteen minutes, it is recommended to look away from the screen and stare at a distant object to change your focus. Of course, being so absorbed in my writing, how was I to remember to look away every so often.

As a reminder, I used a timer that I set for fifteen-minute intervals. After each fifteen minutes, I take a  few minutes to look out my office window and focus on something farther away. I know that without an alarm reminding me, the task would be next to impossible. Those fifteen minutes would slip to an hour, probably more like two or three.

Back

Do I sit up straight?

I discovered my posture, too, needed improvement. I couldn’t believe how many times, I caught myself slouching.

Slouching was a more difficult point to conquer. I often didn’t realize that I was sitting in that terrible hunched position. A good chair helps, but it can only do so much. I needed to be consciously aware of my posture at all times. I did get help from my family. When they see me sitting hunched over, they come and press my shoulders back as a reminder to sit straight. I also started doing weight lifting to strengthen the muscles that help keep your back and shoulders straight. What really helped was setting a book on top of my head. Yes, I know it looks ridiculous but it works! I have noticed that sitting straight makes the long hours of writing more comfortable.

Hands

Do I treat my typing hands with respect?

This was one thing I did do.

When I began to write longer hours, I invested in a proper keyboard to take away the strain on my wrists, I got a proper mouse and key pad for support, and often during my writing, I give my hands a light shake or stretch.

Legs

Do I get enough movement into my legs while I write?

Who thinks of their legs when they are absorbed in their writing?

Sitting for long periods is terrible for the legs; in fact, it has many ill effects on your health. It is claimed that extreme sedentary is worse than excessive smoking. I never knew that my long hours behind my desk was so unhealthy. Inactivity is such a problem that an organization exists that fights against it, called Researchers against Inactivity-Related Disorders (RID).

Due to the importance of regular movement, I put a stair-climber right beside my office desk. Using my trusted timer again, every half hour, I step onto my climber to exercise my legs for a short time, enhancing my circulation.

Now that I treat my body with care, it rewards me with feeling better and having a clearer mind with improved concentration. I hope, I can continue to enforce these points for the betterment of my health and my success.

“The greatest wealth is health.”  -Virgil 

 

The Waiting Game . . .

The Latest

The Waiting Game – By Trent –  the simple dollar  –  http://goo.gl/yTgUS  – He is so…..right about .

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Using Contradictions to Develop Character – By Nathan Bransford – http://goo.gl/JMKoq

Twitter, Travel, and the Power of the Engaged Employee – By Rob Markey – Harvard Business Review – http://goo.gl/mqpBc

The Freelance Writer’s Interview Checklist – By Susan Johnston – The Urban Muse – http://goo.gl/1PlSN

Trouble at Aspen Mountain Press – By Victoria Strauss – Writer Beware – http://goo.gl/CCGg8

Sweet and Salty Snacks You Can Make at Home – By Mikey Rox – WiseBread – http://goo.gl/0gcQe – Sound like delicious snacks!

The Parable of the Little Book of Stories – By Joel Frielander – The Book Designer – http://goo.gl/fxB1N

A B C D . . . Of Inspiration. Very Simple & Very Effective! – By E-Junkie.Info – http://goo.gl/cFRjD

Bad vs. Badly – By Mark Nichol – Daily Writing Tips – http://goo.gl/lgjfA

How to Master the One Trait That Makes You Unstoppable – By Sonia Simone – Copyblogger – http://goo.gl/mtPlH

Quote of the Day

“The greatest rules of dramatic writing are conflict, conflict, conflict.” – James Frey

 

Writing Contest

Writing Contest: Sharp Writ Book Awards – By Smart Book Lovers  – Deadline Oct. 15, 2011 – http://www.book-awards.org

 

 

 

 

Frugal Ways to Celebrate Fall . . .

 

 The Latest

1.  31 Frugal Ways to Celebrate Fall By Camilla Cheung – Wise Bread – http://goo.gl/ZTHFN – Simple and relaxing ideas – nice!

2. Dueling Russia: Myth, Veracity, and Literature – By Nick Morgan – http://goo.gl/hm86I

3. Maybe he means it – By Seth Godin – http://goo.gl/c6XiD -I wholeheartedly agree!

4. Plot Help for Weary Writers – By Plot Whisperer – http://goo.gl/aEGz8

5. Improve Your Emails: Why It’s Worth It – By Grace Myers – Fuel Your Writing – http://goo.gl/yiuSm

6. Keep the Fire Alive: Three Remarkable Comeback Stories – By Marelisa – Abundance Blog – http://goo.gl/Jq6yh – My admiration to these protagonists!

7. Sting Tells How He Writes Song Lyrics – By Elizabeth Day – The Guardian/The Observer – http://goo.gl/jlGnT

8. The Art of Irresistible Copywriting – By Robert Bruce – copyblogger – http://goo.gl/kncY2 – Love the  ‘every sentence’ rule!

9. What is a writer’s MVP? – By Joel Frielander – http://goo.gl/fVyJ6 – Like the idea of thinking small, makes sense!

Zooglers – Google Employees in Zurich Have the World’s Coolest Re-Purposed Office – By Tafline Laylin – inhabitat – http://goo.gl/HXoE9 – What an awesome working atmosphere!

Quote of the Day

“If you have other things in your life — family, friends, good productive day work — these can interact with your writing and the sum will be all the richer.” – David Brin

 Writing Contest

Poem Writing Contest – Patricia Bibby Award – Tebot Bach – Deadline: Oct. 31, 2011- http://goo.gl/SO3AE

 Book Release

 

 

Fantasy – Cast In Ruin (Chronicles of Elantra Book 7)  – By Author Michelle Sagara