HEALTH AND THE WRITER by JoAnn Smith Ainsworth
Writing stresses the mind and the body. Whether first draft
or final edits, our brain is exercised by constant choices and decisions. We must sort through
thousands of words each day and make decisions about each. Which ones will stay
on the page? How will this word affect the story in its past, its present and
its future? Is the pacing spot on or is the pacing lacking? Are my characters
acting logically, given their personalities?
The myriad of judgment calls
boggles the mind.
Then there’s marketing and administrative and work and
family.
Marketing (including social media and a personal website)
can gobble up time and energy if we’re not careful. Today’s writer is under
tremendous stress. Lack of energy, a harried feeling can tear at one’s health.
Responsibilities can drain energy and leave none for the fun part—writing a
novel. Good health can break down if we’re not diligent.
What to do?
Over the years, I’ve learned that the basis for good health
is a positive mindset. You have to like yourself and be happy with your life as
it is.
Being happy at where you’ve arrived on your life’s journey
doesn’t mean you no longer have goals for the future. To the contrary, those
desires/goals are a positive stimulus for good health, as well as essential to
your ambitions as an author. These yearnings for new achievements and
recognition are what get us up in the morning. They keep us excited to start our
writing. Keep us focused.
What else?
Having established a base line of happiness for my unfolding
life, I then look to intersperse happy thoughts and fun activities throughout
my day. One such activity could be playing favorite music in the background while
writing. Another could be getting up every couple of hours to walk outside and
get a breath of fresh air. Another fun activity could be taking a few minutes
to watch the antics of a squirrel walking the telephone line outside the office
window. Our spirits need a moment of relief and an influx of the positive to
lift the burden of stress we put on our bodies.
For me, being healthy and staying as happy as possible throughout
the day are not won by leaps and bounds. Baby steps are called for—any little
thing that will brighten my day—small distractions to make me smile. If something
big and wonderful unexpectedly drops into my day, I certainly don’t turn my
back on this gift because it doesn’t fit into my baby-steps philosophy. I
embrace the joy of it.
What if nothing goes right?
If I wake up to one of those days when everything falls
apart, I make a point to look for the silver lining on whatever cloud shadows
my day. If I can find something to make me feel a little better, I take it. If
I can’t, I keep as positive a mindset as possible until the shadows leave. Patience
is necessary. “This, too, shall pass” becomes my mantra.
Eventually, life changes and the clouds and shadows lose
their grip. For me, if I allow myself to drop into despondency because of
setbacks, it takes me a very long time to work my way back. The justification I
might feel to be miserable because of a setback is not worth the extra work
I’ll give myself to again become a productive writer. Negativity wears at my
health. To keep me well and working on a manuscript, I need the most positive
thoughts I can find. I make every effort to get happy as quickly as I can—even if
“quickly” means baby steps.
What about you?
Do you agree that whatever you want to do with your life is
best accomplished when built on a foundation of happiness?
When JoAnn Smith Ainsworth
carried wood as a pre-teen so her Great Aunt Martha could stoke up the iron
stove to prepare dinner, she wasn’t thinking, “I could use this in a novel
someday.” Yet, the skills she learned from her horse-and-buggy ancestors
translate into backdrops for her historical romance and paranormal suspense
novels.
JoAnn’s debut medieval romantic suspense novels received 4
stars from RT Book Reviews. Of her
historical western romances released fall 2013, one reader said, “seamlessly,
flawless writing” and “If you love westerns, this is the book for you. Great
characters, great plot, and a story that will make you smile.” ……. Lauren
Calder, Reviewer, Affaire de Coeur Magazine.
JoAnn’s paranormal thriller, EXPECT TROUBLE, released July 2014. One reviewer
said: "If you like the British
series The Bletchley Circle, you will enjoy this book!"
.............. Patricia Simpson, Author.
Expect Trouble was
a semi-finalist in the East Texas Writers Guild first chapter contest 2015.
LINKS:
For
more, visit: http://www.joannsmithainsworth.com.
Twitter
@JoAnnAinsworth or @JoAnnParanormal or Facebook’s JoAnn
Smith Ainsworth Fan Page
Goodreads blog:
BUY LINKS:
Amazon - http://amzn.to/Zgbls6
Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/HMX2KH
Books a Million (BAM) - http://www.booksamillion.com/search?id=6000031779635&query=joann+smith+ainsworth&where=Books&search.x=22&search.y=8
– or http://tinyurl.com/ld8czbf
and at an independent bookstore near you - http://www.indiebound.org/indie-bookstore-finder
AddressBlog #1Blog: Goodreads
Blog:
Twitter #1: @JoAnnAinsworth
(Author Life)
Twitter #2: @JoAnnParanormal
(Delphi Series WWII and 1940’s tweets)
Facebook #1: Profile
page (Author Life) (https://www.facebook.com/joann.ainsworth)
Facebook #2:
Facebook’s JoAnn Smith Ainsworth
Fan Page (for Delphi Series) (https://www.facebook.com/JoAnnSmithAinsworthAuthor?ref=hl).
Website: http://www.joannsmithainsworth.com
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