Dear Novel Girl Followers,
I am unable to post on a "Writer's Diet" today. My sons and I are in crisis. Will's oldest and dearest friend, Josiah Berger, a lovely, kind and precious nineteen-year-old young man, was in a car accident Tuesday night. He has SEVERE brain injuries and only a Miracle can save him. Not only has he been Will's best friend since the age of seven, he is the son of my loving pastor, Steve Berger.
Josiah's mother, father, sisters and brother, friends and extended family would appreciate your prayers. He is in the trauma unit of Vanderbilt hospital.
I thank you with all my heart.
Lisa
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Diet? What Diet?
Writer's diet? Huh. I'm probably not the best Novel Girl to post on this topic, since my usual diet consists of pizza, beer, fast food and Doritos--with the occasional salad and piece of fruit thrown in. Although since I had my beach vacation hanging over my head, I tried to eat a bit healthier this summer so as not to scare beach patrons by my pasty white skin AND jiggly thighs.
I've never been one of those people who "forgets" to eat. Nope. Sure, I might end up delaying a meal due to a crazy schedule, but eating and me are BFFs. I'm definitely one of those people who would rather be fat than give up food. Therefore, I usually end up having to do seriously long workouts to make up for my indulgences.
When I'm writing a book, it's no different--except I find that I continuously need to eat to keep my brain fueled. So, when I'm writing, I'll always have a snack nearby--some crackers, almonds, a granola bar, whatever. My other staple is a glass filled with ice and some diet coke or diet root beer right next to me.
I'll get all my necessities: lil' snack, my drink and my laptop and settle into the couch. Then, I turn on the Food Network and put it on mute, so I can occasionally glance up and salivate over whatever Paula Deen is cooking, since my family usually eats lots of takeout whenever I'm in the middle of a book. I figure, if I don't have time to make a shrimp casserole, I can at least watch someone else throw it together.
I'm starting my fourth book next week, so that means a pantry fully-stocked with lots of munchies, a billion frozen pizzas hanging out in the freezer and lots of Lean Cuisine meals. I'd advise everyone not to come visit for a couple of months. If you enter, you'll just find a passed-out writer on the couch, surrounded by pizza boxes and little scraps of paper that say cryptic things like, "Chapter 11 climax = lame."
I've never been one of those people who "forgets" to eat. Nope. Sure, I might end up delaying a meal due to a crazy schedule, but eating and me are BFFs. I'm definitely one of those people who would rather be fat than give up food. Therefore, I usually end up having to do seriously long workouts to make up for my indulgences.
When I'm writing a book, it's no different--except I find that I continuously need to eat to keep my brain fueled. So, when I'm writing, I'll always have a snack nearby--some crackers, almonds, a granola bar, whatever. My other staple is a glass filled with ice and some diet coke or diet root beer right next to me.
I'll get all my necessities: lil' snack, my drink and my laptop and settle into the couch. Then, I turn on the Food Network and put it on mute, so I can occasionally glance up and salivate over whatever Paula Deen is cooking, since my family usually eats lots of takeout whenever I'm in the middle of a book. I figure, if I don't have time to make a shrimp casserole, I can at least watch someone else throw it together.
I'm starting my fourth book next week, so that means a pantry fully-stocked with lots of munchies, a billion frozen pizzas hanging out in the freezer and lots of Lean Cuisine meals. I'd advise everyone not to come visit for a couple of months. If you enter, you'll just find a passed-out writer on the couch, surrounded by pizza boxes and little scraps of paper that say cryptic things like, "Chapter 11 climax = lame."
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Care and Feeding of This Writer
Huge apology for missing my slot last week. Personal matters cropped up and I was unable to write a post last Monday. The rest of The Novel Girls did a terrific job in talking about relieving stress, so rather than try to talk about both last week and this week's topic, I'll just move on to my take on the writer's diet. Or, rather, THIS writer's diet.
When I'm knee-deep into a writing a book, time gets away from me. My sleeping schedule becomes erratic, which means normal meal times fly out of the window. In fact, there are many days I flat-out forget to stop what I'm doing to get a meal. This is not good, writer or not, and one of my continuous goals is to create a schedule I can stick to.
And there are days, sometimes weeks, that I'll do terrific. Most of the time, however, I'm just not that great at it. When I was in the midst of writing A STROKE OF MAGIC, a very good author friend warned me to start taking a good multi-vitamin, to focus on fresh fruits, vegetables, and proteins in order to keep myself sharp, to keep myself healthy. I listened to her, and then went right back to what I'd been doing: barely sleeping, grabbing maybe one meal a day, and living mostly on coffee.
By the time I turned the book in, I was completely wiped out. I had zero creativity left, my brain was numb, and I spent the next couple months doing hardly anything writing related. Not that I didn't try, because I did. But I'd drained myself, and it took a while to "refill the well."
You'd think it wouldn't be so hard to set a schedule and keep to it. But when I'm embroiled in the telling of a story, I don't want to stop. Either the words are flowing and I don't want to break for worry the flow will stop, or the words aren't flowing and I don't want to stop because I need to figure out why the story isn't coming out. And I need to fix that--as soon as possible, please.
However, my friend is one-hundred percent right. If I don't take breaks for food, exercise, sleep, and other things--like visiting with family, friends, etc., then the entire process becomes more difficult. It's easy to see this when I have a little distance from whatever project has carried me away, but it's a lot harder to take the appropriate action when I'm actually in the midst of the project.
My solution? I've finally put a timer on my desk. I set it for two hours. It's always two hours, now. When the time is up, I stand up...actually pull myself away from my desk, and do whatever it is that needs doing. If it's for a meal, I sit down at the table instead of eating at my desk. In addition to meals, however, the two hour timer forces me to walk away--even if it's only for fifteen minutes.
I've found that by taking better care of myself, both through diet and taking regular breaks, I'm more alert and creative when I'm sitting at the computer.
Of course, that doesn't mean it's always easy, because it isn't. And it doesn't mean I don't have a stash of chocolate hidden away. Because I do. Just don't tell my kids!
As far as my actual diet, well...some weeks are healthier than others. What can I say? Sometimes a leafy green salad just isn't what I want. :)
Mostly, I try to stick to fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, with a few complex carbs thrown in for good measure. But there are days when nothing but a delivered to my door pizza will do. And I think that's okay.
Have a great week!
When I'm knee-deep into a writing a book, time gets away from me. My sleeping schedule becomes erratic, which means normal meal times fly out of the window. In fact, there are many days I flat-out forget to stop what I'm doing to get a meal. This is not good, writer or not, and one of my continuous goals is to create a schedule I can stick to.
And there are days, sometimes weeks, that I'll do terrific. Most of the time, however, I'm just not that great at it. When I was in the midst of writing A STROKE OF MAGIC, a very good author friend warned me to start taking a good multi-vitamin, to focus on fresh fruits, vegetables, and proteins in order to keep myself sharp, to keep myself healthy. I listened to her, and then went right back to what I'd been doing: barely sleeping, grabbing maybe one meal a day, and living mostly on coffee.
By the time I turned the book in, I was completely wiped out. I had zero creativity left, my brain was numb, and I spent the next couple months doing hardly anything writing related. Not that I didn't try, because I did. But I'd drained myself, and it took a while to "refill the well."
You'd think it wouldn't be so hard to set a schedule and keep to it. But when I'm embroiled in the telling of a story, I don't want to stop. Either the words are flowing and I don't want to break for worry the flow will stop, or the words aren't flowing and I don't want to stop because I need to figure out why the story isn't coming out. And I need to fix that--as soon as possible, please.
However, my friend is one-hundred percent right. If I don't take breaks for food, exercise, sleep, and other things--like visiting with family, friends, etc., then the entire process becomes more difficult. It's easy to see this when I have a little distance from whatever project has carried me away, but it's a lot harder to take the appropriate action when I'm actually in the midst of the project.
My solution? I've finally put a timer on my desk. I set it for two hours. It's always two hours, now. When the time is up, I stand up...actually pull myself away from my desk, and do whatever it is that needs doing. If it's for a meal, I sit down at the table instead of eating at my desk. In addition to meals, however, the two hour timer forces me to walk away--even if it's only for fifteen minutes.
I've found that by taking better care of myself, both through diet and taking regular breaks, I'm more alert and creative when I'm sitting at the computer.
Of course, that doesn't mean it's always easy, because it isn't. And it doesn't mean I don't have a stash of chocolate hidden away. Because I do. Just don't tell my kids!
As far as my actual diet, well...some weeks are healthier than others. What can I say? Sometimes a leafy green salad just isn't what I want. :)
Mostly, I try to stick to fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, with a few complex carbs thrown in for good measure. But there are days when nothing but a delivered to my door pizza will do. And I think that's okay.
Have a great week!
Friday, August 7, 2009
De-stressing! What a novel idea! *bad pun groan*
Wait a minute.
You mean... at some point you're supposed to relieve stress??
Huh. Maybe somewhere in the foggy past I read that incorrectly as "re-live stress". Because - that I can do. I can replay stressful moments over and over in my head like one of those songs that gets stuck in your brain for days at a time...
No no. Seriously. Stress relief. That's a good thing. Especially in this job.
Now, rather like Jillian, I tend to thrive in pressure situations. No really! I do! Hang a deadline over my head, dangling from a fraying thread like the sword of Damocles, and I'm good. Tie me to the tracks with the deadline-train a'comin' and I'll somehow manage to fish out my trusty swiss-army knife. Loom ever larger at me all you want Mr. Deadline, I'm walkin' straight toward you, whistlin'...
*starts to hyperventilate slightly*
...Heh. Um. Wait. Do you think maybe I have deadlines on my mind?
Okay - focus here people. By "people" I mean "me".
Right. Stress relief. What do I do for stress relief?...
I could say "shop" but I actually find that kinda stressful (unless it's with my Mom, 'cause she's really good at it.) I could say "yoga" but I haven't bent myself into a Lotus Position since I got my first contract. I could say "watch tv" but I barely know which remote goes with what device.
I... um... read? Okay, yeah. I do that - but I do that anyway. I listen to music - same deal, though.
Oh wait! I garden! Sure! That's what I do.
*pauses to look out window at sadly neglected shrubs that need a serious pruning*
Huh. Maybe I should take some time to de-stress this weekend. If nothing else, the geraniums need to be deadlined--er dead-headed. Yes. That's what I meant. No I'm not stressed - why do you ask?
You mean... at some point you're supposed to relieve stress??
Huh. Maybe somewhere in the foggy past I read that incorrectly as "re-live stress". Because - that I can do. I can replay stressful moments over and over in my head like one of those songs that gets stuck in your brain for days at a time...
No no. Seriously. Stress relief. That's a good thing. Especially in this job.
Now, rather like Jillian, I tend to thrive in pressure situations. No really! I do! Hang a deadline over my head, dangling from a fraying thread like the sword of Damocles, and I'm good. Tie me to the tracks with the deadline-train a'comin' and I'll somehow manage to fish out my trusty swiss-army knife. Loom ever larger at me all you want Mr. Deadline, I'm walkin' straight toward you, whistlin'...
*starts to hyperventilate slightly*
...Heh. Um. Wait. Do you think maybe I have deadlines on my mind?
Okay - focus here people. By "people" I mean "me".
Right. Stress relief. What do I do for stress relief?...
I could say "shop" but I actually find that kinda stressful (unless it's with my Mom, 'cause she's really good at it.) I could say "yoga" but I haven't bent myself into a Lotus Position since I got my first contract. I could say "watch tv" but I barely know which remote goes with what device.
I... um... read? Okay, yeah. I do that - but I do that anyway. I listen to music - same deal, though.
Oh wait! I garden! Sure! That's what I do.
*pauses to look out window at sadly neglected shrubs that need a serious pruning*
Huh. Maybe I should take some time to de-stress this weekend. If nothing else, the geraniums need to be deadlined--er dead-headed. Yes. That's what I meant. No I'm not stressed - why do you ask?
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Light Movies and Reality TV
Here’s something strange about me: I sort of thrive on the stress involved with being a writer. I love deadlines. Sure, I’ll complain about how stressed I am at the time, but I love being busy, having a writing schedule, feeling the need to get something done by a particular date. When I don’t have that I actually start to feel a little lost.
Case in point: I finished a draft of a new book three weeks ago. I had immersed myself in the book for three months, stayed up late and woke up early to work on it, and I thought about it constantly. When I struggled a bit with the ending and then the revision, I complained to my husband about how stressed I was and how I couldn’t wait to be finished with the book to take a little time off.
That was three weeks ago, and in three weeks away from that total book immersion, I’m itching to get back in, to start something new. Um, I’ve actually sort of already started it.
It’s not that I don’t ever need a break, because I do. When I was in the middle of working on my draft last month, I was so overwhelmed and stressed after working on the book every single day for six weeks straight, that I took an entire weekend off, completely away from the computer and the book. I watched four very light movies and sat glued to the television as if they were The. Best. Movies. Ever. Yes, it took Beverly Hill Chihuahua and Confessions of a Shopaholic to detox my brain. But by Monday, I was completely refreshed and ready to go back to work.
If not light movies, then I also enjoy light reality TV to de-stress. Can I admit that I am a fan of Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood, and Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List for just this reason? In college, I used to take study breaks to watch All My Children, because really, how could I be stressed about a paper or an exam when Erica Kane was getting remarried for the 27th time?
In general, though, I love what I do and all the stress that comes along with it. I like my stress breaks to be short ones, and thank goodness, because imagine what my life would be like if I sat around watching light movies, reality TV, and soap operas all the time!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Shuffle and Start Over
My idea of a stress reliever might surprise you. Yes, I'm all about lounging by the pool with a good book, or sipping a fresh mimosa while digging my toes into the sand. But what really relaxes me and sloooows down my brain is a brain teaser. I absolutely love a good crossword puzzle or a sudoko better than anyone I know. And what I really love more than anything is either a jigsaw puzzle or a nice relaxing game of solitaire - especially spider solitaire or free cell!
In fact, I'll tell you this. I was once so addicted I had to remove solitaire from my computer. It's true! I would have never gotten an entire book written if I had continued to feed my addiction. Fortunately those games don't come standard on Macs, and every Mac owner knows - once you go Mac you never go back! I've heard there are free solitaire websites on the computer, but for the moment I'm just saying no!
When I was little I loved those hand-held number puzzles that you had to move around with your thumbs. You know the home-made kind that had hand-written fortunes under each triangle? And I really loved the plastic ones with numbered squares that you had to shuffle until all the numbers were in order from from 1-12. I never did master the Rubik's cube but I could have died trying.
I absolutely adore needle point and knitting. And I long for each stitch to be neat and perfect. The irony in that is nothing else in my life is neat and perfect. Sewing must represent a small little something I can have complete control over.
HOWEVER, I've had to make a conscious effort to put away my needles, give away the jigsaw puzzles and stop my subscription to the newspaper. (This might be an excellent time to give a shout out to The Tennessean - your crossword puzzles and sudokos are top shelf, baby, top shelf!!)
So where does all this leave me if my priority has become novel writing and I'm turning my back on my addiction(s)? TO THE INTERNET, OF COURSE. I can have my computer in my lap, my WIP on the screen and click on dictionary.com for all my spelling and synonym needs. And while I'm at it I can sneak peeks at my both of my email accounts, and the NG website, and Amazon, and Ebay, and CNN and, and, and . . . I'm back to where I started - with a brand new addiction. YIKES. What now???? Find another way to relieve my stress? Suggestions anyone?
In fact, I'll tell you this. I was once so addicted I had to remove solitaire from my computer. It's true! I would have never gotten an entire book written if I had continued to feed my addiction. Fortunately those games don't come standard on Macs, and every Mac owner knows - once you go Mac you never go back! I've heard there are free solitaire websites on the computer, but for the moment I'm just saying no!
When I was little I loved those hand-held number puzzles that you had to move around with your thumbs. You know the home-made kind that had hand-written fortunes under each triangle? And I really loved the plastic ones with numbered squares that you had to shuffle until all the numbers were in order from from 1-12. I never did master the Rubik's cube but I could have died trying.
I absolutely adore needle point and knitting. And I long for each stitch to be neat and perfect. The irony in that is nothing else in my life is neat and perfect. Sewing must represent a small little something I can have complete control over.
HOWEVER, I've had to make a conscious effort to put away my needles, give away the jigsaw puzzles and stop my subscription to the newspaper. (This might be an excellent time to give a shout out to The Tennessean - your crossword puzzles and sudokos are top shelf, baby, top shelf!!)
So where does all this leave me if my priority has become novel writing and I'm turning my back on my addiction(s)? TO THE INTERNET, OF COURSE. I can have my computer in my lap, my WIP on the screen and click on dictionary.com for all my spelling and synonym needs. And while I'm at it I can sneak peeks at my both of my email accounts, and the NG website, and Amazon, and Ebay, and CNN and, and, and . . . I'm back to where I started - with a brand new addiction. YIKES. What now???? Find another way to relieve my stress? Suggestions anyone?
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Sunburned = Perfect Remedy for Writer Burnout
This week's topic isn't a toughie for me, as I'm sitting here typing this in my bathing suit with a nice frosty glass of lemonade sitting beside me. Yes, I'm on vacation! Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, to be exact. And I haven't thought about work...much...OK maybe a little...those revisions to Book #2...forgot about those...whoops.
Scratch all that--this will be a working vacation! I'm still finalizing a few small things for my second book, so tomorrow I'll be hitting the pool with my laptop in hand. Truly, my book will be a "beach read."
Regardless, the first few days of this vacation have been heaven. I can already feel my creative juices renewing and I'm itching to start my next book. I've been checking emails sporadically on my Blackberry, instead of feeling glued to my laptop. Even just three days of relaxation have provided some much needed perspective and a huge mental break.
Most writers I know spend their days chained to their computers, obsessively checking emails and waiting for the phone to ring. It's hard to know how stressful that is until you actually step away from all of it. It's been so freeing to wake up in the morning and not power up my computer before I even have a cup of coffee.
Thus, like I said, I'm a' rarin' to go on my next book thanks to this little reality break. Creative juices are flowing once again, folks!
Now, if ya'll will excuse me, I have some suntann--er, business to tend to!
Scratch all that--this will be a working vacation! I'm still finalizing a few small things for my second book, so tomorrow I'll be hitting the pool with my laptop in hand. Truly, my book will be a "beach read."
Regardless, the first few days of this vacation have been heaven. I can already feel my creative juices renewing and I'm itching to start my next book. I've been checking emails sporadically on my Blackberry, instead of feeling glued to my laptop. Even just three days of relaxation have provided some much needed perspective and a huge mental break.
Most writers I know spend their days chained to their computers, obsessively checking emails and waiting for the phone to ring. It's hard to know how stressful that is until you actually step away from all of it. It's been so freeing to wake up in the morning and not power up my computer before I even have a cup of coffee.
Thus, like I said, I'm a' rarin' to go on my next book thanks to this little reality break. Creative juices are flowing once again, folks!
Now, if ya'll will excuse me, I have some suntann--er, business to tend to!
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