Featured Writer on Wellness: Natalie Bright

The biggest emotional challenge for me as a writer is guilt.

This emotion completely derails my forward momentum. It’s as if I’m sneaking time to write in between day job, laundry, and cooking for a husband and our two boys.

Add to that the guilt of leaving my characters in mid-stream. The week is done and I’m still slogging along on chapter two. Three steps back and one-half step forward is how I would describe my writing career. To stay sane and reach my word count, I had to change my mindset.

How a Writing Conference Motivated Me to Work Harder at Writing

Several years ago, I remember one December being exceptionally dark and discouraging for me as a writer. I’d been working with a literary agent for seven years and my body of work was going nowhere. I had to wonder, can I continue this path? Facing the reality that my stories did not have a universal appeal for traditional publishing was disheartening and emotionally draining. My writing career was over, or so I thought.

Two things happened to give me hope. Since most of my stories are set in the west or centered around rural lifestyles, I attended a Western Writers of America conference. It was there I met many dedicated creative people, from novelists, playwrights, song writers, scriptwriters, and historians, who wrote what they feel compelled to write.

Some had traditional publishing deals, and many did not. The “publishing” part was important but more than that was a love for the genre and connecting with their fans. Their passion for the topics they researched was contagious. I returned home from the WWA conference with new determination to focus on the type of stories that keep me awake at night.

Becoming an Indie Author was the Perfect Fit for Me

The second thing that happened was I began to consider other publishing options. Becoming an Indie Author was the perfect fit for me. I had self-published a book in 2010 which had a specific purpose and target market.

Seven years later, self-publishing options are entirely different. Taking control of every aspect of the publishing process and making my story into a book is very rewarding. Setting myself goals and a schedule makes my efforts a reality.

Healthy Changes in My Writing Routine Sent My Energy Through the Roof

After I pushed aside the guilt and self-doubt, and set a course for action, the next question I tackled is how can I become more productive? I had to work on the physical aspects of my writing process.

The key to creativity is different for every writer. One year ago, I made a major change in my routine by cutting out sugar, carbs, and that delicious, fizzy daily soda. I added healthy supplements and now replace a few meals each week with protein shakes. My clarity, focus, and energy levels are through the roof, but it’s an adjustment I have to work on every day.

Several weekends ago I attended a writer’s workshop. I didn’t turn down the cheese-burger and fresh-cut fried potato curls. On the way home, we stopped at a cute little diner and of course, there was home-made peach cobbler with ice cream. It was as delicious as you can imagine.

I was reminded that those few minutes when my taste buds were in sugar heaven, is never worth how bad I felt later. I was physically ill by the time I got home. Instead of sitting down at the computer fresh from the buzz of a writing conference, I collapsed. The next day I had achy joints and brain fog. That’s what sugar does to me and the key to my creativity is to stay away from it.

The other physical change I made was to invest in an office chair, at the suggestion of a very prolific friend. This chair has a mesh seat, adjustable arms, and lower back support. It was a major investment, but when I sit down time soars. I can block out distractions of life and disappear into my fictional world. No matter how long I’ve been sitting, I am able to jump up and move on to the next thing with no achy back or sore knees.

The Hardest Part: What to Do with All Those Ideas!

Life is busy. I struggle to stay on task, and I try to listen to the voices of my characters. Whether it be through dreams or long walks, I have forced myself to focus and stop questioning the why.

The wide-open spaces and the big Texas sky is what inspires me. The stories and characters choose me, and the hardest part is to concentrate on the current work in progress because new ideas are constantly interrupting. I keep an idea journal where I jot scenes, dialogue, character sketches, theme ideas, and anything that might pop into my head.

I also have sticky notes everywhere. It’s as if I’m giving myself the go-ahead to have that idea. Acknowledge it, own it, and write it. Giving yourself permission is the first step.

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Natalie Cline Bright is an author, blogger, and cattle ranch owner. Her stories and articles have appeared in numerous publications. She holds a BBA from WTAMU and enjoys talking to all ages about writing. She is author of a middle grade mystery series, a picture book series about rescue animals, and is currently working on a young adult series set in the Texas Frontier.

She blogs every Monday about story craft at WordsmithSix.com and posts articles every week on her website about the people, places, and fascinating history of the Texas Panhandle. If you like pictures of cows and the Texas sky, follow her on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

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