Energize Your Writing

Writers are so easily influenced by mood. Our disposition, with no matter what we write, will translate to the reader. For example, if we are tired, lethargic, or depressed, then it becomes more difficult to throw energy into our characters, let alone our words.

What's the solution?
Being of healthy body, mind and spirit will help our writing become more succinct, passionate and energised. Succinct because our minds will have a greater ability to maintain focus. Passionate because when we are healthy we care about our work and our stories. Energised because we will simply have more energy and that reflects in our writing.

Exercise: Writing is such a passive pastime that I can't say enough how important it is to exercise. 30 minutes a day isn't too much and that can be broken up into three 10 minute sessions. Tip: If I want to write action I'll get up and jump around for a bit to capture some of the energy needed for the scene.

Stretching: It's also important to regularly get up and stretch. If I'm not paying attention it's far too easy to realise two hours have slipped by and I haven't moved from my seat.

Diet: When we settle in for a writing session it's tempting to snack on treats. (I wish I didn't love chocolate so much). Eating good healthy foods and drinking plenty of water is key to staying fit and healthy, which in turn impacts our writing.

Practise positivity: It's easy to stress as writers. It's easy to let self-doubt take over. If we practise positivity then stress can be managed. Not only will we be less likely to give up on our dreams, but our positivity will pour into our words in the form of energised writing.

Can you think of other ways to energise your writing? What do you do to energise your writing?

The Grisly Truth about Writer’s Girth

The grisly truth of writing is that it’s a sedentary pastime. We sit for hours pouring our heart and soul into words. We sustain ourselves through quick snacks and write some more. And, when we aren’t writing, we’re reading. Also a sedentary pastime.

So, how do we guard against a growing girth? We schedule in, as part of our daily routine, at least 30 minutes of exercise. Yes, that’s a whole 30 minutes a day when we can’t write and we can’t read and we can’t create. Gasp. But you know what? It’s the best thing we can do for ourselves. We come back refreshed and revitalised.

I’ve taken to listening to podcast short stories while I either walk or spend my allotted time on the exercise bike. What do you do to guard against the girth?


Note: This post is part of the A-Z Challenge. To learn more about the challenge click the image on my sidebar.