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Ingrid Weaver | Voices In Your Head, And Other Writing Side Effects
August 31, 2009
One of my pet peeves are the drug commercials on TV that show happy, smiling
people who seem totally oblivious to the Voice Of Doom in the background that's
listing all the dire side-effects of whatever they took to get them that happy.
So...I got to thinking that nobody warned me before I started to write. No, I
just hauled out a typewriter (yes, it was that long ago) and started pounding
away. By the time I graduated to a computer, I'd noticed all kinds of
side-effects. As a public service, I thought I'd list a few: Symptom: Writing can be hazardous to your health. Long hours spent at the
keyboard can lead to eye fatigue, joint fatigue and a whopping case of
secretarial spread. Treatment: To relieve eye strain from writing, ensure your computer has
several
solitaire games, which should be practiced regularly for medicinal purposes. To
combat joint fatigue, get a swivel chair or even better, a desk with plenty of
interesting things in the drawers that you can take out and play with. Tape
dispensers are ideal, as are pens with flowers on the ends. As far as
secretarial spread, accept the inevitable and get a bigger chair. Symptom: Writing can cause uncontrollable cravings for chocolate and
caffeine. Treatment: Chocolate and coffee are brain fuel. Claim it as a business
expense
on your income tax. To save time, I recommend buying a good supply of
chocolate-covered coffee beans. It's a combined hit, and there are no mugs to
wash. Symptom: Writing can lead to a decrease in your reading-drive. Treatment: This is an insidious and very dangerous side-effect, and a
sure sign
that you are over-dosing on writing. Before you know it, you'll run out of
words. Get to a bookstore or a library immediately and load up a bag with all
your favorite authors. Lock yourself away somewhere until you've sucked every
word out of all those books. Look at it as a transfusion. Symptom: Writing can give you voices in your head. Treatment: Unfortunately, there is no treatment for the voices. Relax
and say
hello to your little friends. Ingrid Weaver
http://www.ingridweaver.com/ On sale now: WITHIN STRIKING
DISTANCE, Harlequin NASCAR "Hidden Legacies." Coming in April 2010: HER BABY'S BODYGUARD Silhouette Romantic Suspense,
ISBN 978-0-373-27674-5 Book 1 of Eagle Squadron: Countdown miniseries, featuring
the Delta Force commandos of Eagle Squadron
Comments
10 comments posted.
Re: Ingrid Weaver | Voices In Your Head, And Other Writing Side Effects
Thank you, Ingrid Weaver. I've noticed some of the same effects, variations on others.
While at the computer, I keep hard-copy reading material nearby to relieve monitor-related eyestrain. These are usually items I can spend a few minutes perusing during a slow upload, such as today's newspaper, magazines, and a quotation dictionary. Yes, I'm a quote freak; but I'll spare you this time!
For better ergonomics, when I just can't sit any longer I get up and exercise, which usually means doing physical chores or taking a walk.
I have carpal tunnel syndrome in one wrist so badly that sometimes I must wear a brace. In my regular (sort of) job as a substitute teacher, I once told my students I wear it to recover from wounds I got while fighting alligators. I meant it as a joke, but now they call me "Alligator Lady."
I sit down on a cushion or pillow in my chair, and vary them. Maybe I can't keep my butt from getting big, but I can sure help to keep it from hurting.
Frequently Lucretia, my big fat white cat, likes to sit on my lap while I'm typing. She's cat-napping there now, but sometimes she demands my attention. Otherwise she'll sit on my mouse or block my view of the screen. I must break my concentration and play with her, but I probably need the break. I figure stroking her and listening to her purr do me good.
I've had voices in my head since long before I started writing seriously. I can't blame writing for that.
NOTHING decreases my reading drive. There's never, ever enough time for all the reading I want to do. However, writing has had this effect: I no longer have any patience with works that aren't as good as what I think I can do. Whether I actually can do as well is another matter.
Keep up the good work!
Mary Anne Landers www.facebook.com/maryannelanders
(Mary Anne Landers 6:14am August 31, 2009)
Oh. My. God! Thank you ever so much for a great start to what promises to be a VERY long Monday!! My favourite? Combining the chocolate and caffeine in the chocolate-covered espresso beans!! Who needs a mug? As for those voices, they're telling me to get out with my camera, while the sun shines! Thanks again!
Later,
Lynn
(Lynn Rettig 10:57am August 31, 2009)
What authors need warning labels?! What about the readers we get hooked and can not not stop reading or buying books. Sometimes I just zone out will reading. Always searching the net for new books, no good book store where I live. my husband thinks that all I do is read books. I get hooked on the books that you write and I am a book junkie. I wonder if there is help for me.
(Jeanette Bowman 11:21am August 31, 2009)
Chocolate, Caffeine, hum...sounds like a typical day for me. I just use talking to my dogs as a "cover story" for my little voices:).I loved your books...keep them coming.
(Robin McKay 5:48pm August 31, 2009)
I agree with J B reading can be just as much of a problem. I read in snatches because I take care of my granddaughter during the day. By evening I'm curled up in any comfy spot reading until I fall asleep. Maybe I should try those chocolate covered coffee beans. MMMMM.....
(Theresa Buckholtz 7:03pm August 31, 2009)
Your comments made me smile. What a ray of sunshine on a Monday. I think that readers have some of the same symptons. We just have more fun with them than you writers do. Congratulations on your latest release!
(Rosemary Krejsa 7:49pm August 31, 2009)
Cute and all too true. I'm not an
author, but since discovering author
sites on the web (for my job of course,
I work at a library), I am suffering the
same symptoms. I don't get much
time at work to check out the sites, so
every evening, here I sit for hours. I
used to sit for hours in the evening
reading. Now my TBR pile is growing
and I'm trying to figure out how to
read more and visit more sites. Who
needs sleep?
(Patricia Barraclough 10:03pm August 31, 2009)
Hi, loved the comparison between the drug commercials and writing a book. Every time I see such a commercial--it's not often because we don't have drug commercials on our Canadian stations--I get more caught up by the possible side-effects than by the supposed benefits. Now, I don't even pretend to write books, but I seem to get the same effects from sitting at the computer doing other things.
(Sigrun Schulz 2:37pm September 1, 2009)
I am so with you about all these tv commercials..after hearing all the side affects why would anyone even consider trying them. I am so glad some one else out there feels the way I do. Some of the commercials are down right stupid..one in particular stating if the side affect lasts for more than 4 hours see your doctor..EXCUSE ME can you imagine a man going to the doctor's office in such a state. Unreal !!!!. I do like what you came up with about writing books and so on. As I am just a reader I will chance the side affects of reading a book if you are willing to chance the side affects of writing it. ha ha After all NOT READING has side affects too...like the saying..use it or lose it and I want to use my brain while I have one. ha ha Take care susan L.
(Susan Leech 11:34am September 10, 2009)
please send me ur website, it wouldnt go thru
(Karen Slaughter 1:16am October 6, 2011)
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