by J. P. McLean As writers, we’re used to getting feedback. We ask beta readers to take our books for test drives. We ask developmental editors to critique our plots and characters. We ask copy editors to tease out our poor grammar and awkward word choices. We even ask readersContinue Reading
by Marcus Lopes I’m the type of person who needs rules to ground me, and a routine to stay focused. That was never more true than from my late teens to early twenties. That was a period in my life when I was trying to find my way in theContinue Reading
Do you struggle with migraine headaches? I used to get them a lot. Now, only occasionally. Fortunately through my regular health research and writing, I discovered what was causing mine and was able to find treatments that work for me. (My main one is butterbur—you can read more about thatContinue Reading
I love my family and my life too much to waste it closeted away over an unfinished manuscript, isolated and border-line insane, with my stomach tied in knots over self-imposed deadlines. Seriously. If the actual writing of a book isn’t taxing enough, the burden of editing, re-writing, re-editing, gathering reviews,Continue Reading
Did you set good writing goals for the New Year, or did you set goals that will only discourage and delay your progress? I talk a lot about goals in the Writing and Wellness “Start the Year off Right” bundle, which you can download for free here, but I thoughtContinue Reading
I’ve struggled with bad posture all my life. At 6’ 1” I tower over most people. I hated my height when I was younger, so I slouched to make myself smaller. I can still hear my mother’s voice in my head… “Throw your shoulders back!” As I grew older, IContinue Reading
Are you ready to set some writing goals? Usually it’s a good idea, particularly for writers and other creatives. We need goals to keep us moving forward. But we have to be careful. Good goals help us improve and achieve. Bad goals lead to disappointment and discouragement. Following are sevenContinue Reading
Keeping properly hydrated [is my biggest physical challenge]. I get so absorbed in my work, it’s easy to forget to drink, and that neglect can affect all sorts of things in my body. (I also used to forget to go to the bathroom—ignoring urges—but we built a small bathroom withinContinue Reading
What is the biggest physical challenge of being a writer? I’m going to say maintaining spiritual wellness. I know, it’s not really a physical challenge, except that it is. In a way. Spiritual Wellness Encourages Physical Wellness As writers, we have to create that bubble of energy to keep ourselvesContinue Reading
by Benjamin Sobieck The pursuit of wellness during the act of writing can take some unusual twists and turns. Case in point: what began as having cold hands while I typed at the keyboard ended as an unexpected opportunity for my writing career. Cold Hands Can Equal Missed Deadlines Cold,Continue Reading
You know green spaces are healthy for you. But do writing and gardening go together? It depends on who you ask. George R. R. Martin famously said, “I think there are two types of writers, the architects and the gardeners…. And I’m much more a gardener than an architect.” HeContinue Reading
Usually on Writing and Wellness, we focus on how writers and other creatives can encourage, support, and pump themselves up. We’re our own worst critics, and typically we need to pat ourselves on the back more than we need to kick ourselves in the backside. Writers are humans too, though,Continue Reading