Write On!

I have moved through the last forty some years with a ‘can do’ approach to life. I believe that I can achieve my goals if I try hard enough, and the goals are realistic.

Today as I was leading a group of wonderful ladies through the creative writing process it struck me that we can do anything. We were discussing physical limitations and how they make achieving the goal of writing for pleasure more difficult, but not impossible.

I encouraged them to think about their limitations and control their pain as much as possible. This might sound easy for some, but this brave group of ladies were brought together by persistent ongoing pain issues. Like me, some of them have difficulty sitting, typing and writing. With these limitations it’s important to think about work arounds. Here are a few suggestions.

1. Put a box or phone book under your feet when typing. It seems to relieve low back and hip pain.

2. Find a pen that is comfortable to hold and smooth to write with. If it requires less pressure to write, your hands won’t tire as quickly.

3. Use a note taking process that can be worked at in smaller time increments. By using a mind map one can easily pick up where you left off planning your story characters, setting or problem.

4. Have reasonable expectations. It may be that you can only write for an hour at a time. Take frequent breaks and walk or move around.

5. Use a writing board or lap desk to hold your book or iPad at the optimal angle. A heating pad on the neck may reduce neck tightness when writing.

6. Rest your hands and/or arms on a pillow on your lap. It eases the shoulder and arm fatigue.

The writing process should be fun. It should not be painful or uncomfortable. Writing can be a release, a method of distracting yourself from the uncomfortable pain if you let it.

Organize a work area. It could mean a basket of supplies are brought out to the kitchen table each time you are ready to write. Be conscious of the time passing so that you don’t worsen your conditions. Focus on your mind map. Put as much time into planning your characters, setting, and action as you feel is necessary.

What sort of story do you want to write? Will it be a mystery? An autobiographical story about you? Let the ideas flow, and a natural genre usually comes forward.

Most of all though, just write. The more you write the easier the words flow!