For All The Tired Novelists Out There: This One's For You

I have been some combination of mother/teacher/grad student/small business owner/designer/maker/writer/novelist for a while now and let me tell you, I'm beat.

Sometimes, I fall asleep as I'm writing and yet somehow keep typing, resulting in some interesting dream transcriptions (though it isn't so interesting if you are trying to finish a term paper or a novel).

I have found a certain system to help beat back the drooping eyelids that I thought I would share with you, especially since this is November and National Novel Writing Month is now in full swing.

1. Eat well and drink lots of water during the day. Seriously. Common sense and yet a lot of us skip meals or get dehydrated at work. Avoid this at all costs.

2. Around 5 PM, ingest something that will give you a boost. A banana, a cup of coffee, whatever works for you but do it around sunset.

3. Vary your liquid intake at night. Don't just drink coffee. Mix it up and you'll get better results.

4. Go for a walk. Not a long walk, but about a 15 minute brisk walk.

5. Take a shower and scrub your body well. Gets the blood flowing.

6. Stretch or do yoga. Try to include a little something aerobic in your routine.

7. Don't eat the same snacks every night. Chocolate will help you stay awake only if it is new to your system. So rotate your snacks, particularly those sweets you might rely on to keep you going.

8. If all else fails, go to sleep. And don't feel bad about it. Sleep is necessary for recharging your mind and body. You might get some good ideas from your dreams or be able to figure out a plot problem when you wake up with a fresh brain. Feeling guilty about your slumber will only drag you down and, guess what, make you more tired. You don't need that.

I hope this helps those of you who struggle like me to get as much done in the hours around midnight. If you have anything you would like to add to the list, please share in the comments. I am always looking for new tricks.

Pushing through Chapter Seven with some inspiring words

This chapter is taking me a few days longer than I had planned. It is strange because I have already mapped it out and done a draft by hand, which is usually the magic combination for writing productivity. Perhaps I am stressed over something outside of the book. Perhaps I am feeling nervous since I am now on the downward slope, having passed the halfway mark in the last chapter. After this chapter, everything is action packed and should flow out of my fingertips and onto the page like water. This chapter, in the meantime, has proved to be a little challenging.
To meet the challenge, I have come to rely on this list:


It has been our desktop wallpaper for months. There is always one line that stands out when I glance at it, that is just right for my needs at that moment. And last night, I came across this, by my nerd crush Ira Glass:


The main thing I need to do right now is push past this. I have set a deadline that I will, for once in my life, respect. Tomorrow is a holiday so tonight I will not sleep but two hours and tomorrow I will write for a least eight hours, plus the hours I put in after the kids' bedtime. I am determined that I will accomplish #33.

So, here is what I got so far. As always, any feedback in the comments is most welcome. Thank you for reading!


Timeless, A Novel- Chapter Seven Rough Draft First Half

What To Do When Your Work Threatens Your Work

This week I have fallen victim to many rookie traps of becoming too exhausted doing other things that I can't do my writing. This is a bad trend and I must overcome the losses with a lot of make-up writing. Fortunately for me, I am not attempting to write a book of high art. I want Timeless to be a popular novel so I can write a lot of content to get the story out before worrying too much about editing. Unfortunately, even this is impossible in the face of physical exhaustion led on by mental/emotional exhaustion. A lot of it comes from work, Gossiping or being involved in the nitty gritty of your workplace can drain you dry. So there is rule number one: don't worry about it. It is their deal, not yours. Remind yourself that you have greater work to worry about. That thought alone will usually pull your head out of the crazy-making trap that is like with co-workers.
Here is another trap to watch out for, especially if you get really going with your work: guilt. If you have a family, spend time with them but don't feel bad about telling it is time for bed a little earlier than usual, or no, I can't settle on the sofa and watch comedy sitcoms with you. Not right now, tell them. Promise them that later they will have your full attention, but now you are working and working in fact for the better of youur family.
Avoid unecessary actions. Those small errands, are they necessary for now? Can you delay it and combine it with other errands later? If so then do. Avoiding shopping malls and flourescent lights are two other ways to save your energy, unless you derive inspiration from them.
Have a pick me up around 6. Maybe you are lucky and eat dinner at that time but I don't. Also recharge your energy with a snack or beverage in the early evening. No amount of coffee at eleven will do as much as that six o'clock break. Trust me on this one.
Work all the time. When you used to do other things like Facebook or reading, work. Every spare moment should be filled with it so that by the time you have bigger chunks of time, you will soar instead of stumble,