I never thought I’d hear anyone in my family complain about pizza, but that’s what happened during my first participation in the month-long writing marathon, affectionately called NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month is just around the corner. For those of you unfamiliar with the event, it is a month during which novelists and aspiring novelists write a body of work that will be a major part of a completed novel. The goal is to write 50,000 words during the month of November. To read more about how it works, how you can join, see the nanowrimo.org website.
According to the rules, you may plan and/or outline your novel before November 1, but all the writing must be done within the month. Hopefully, you will have read the previous WritingWomen post and have all that behind you. Now it is almost time for the actual words to start flowing off your keyboard. It’s a daunting task and requires seemingly endless hours at the computer. You might need some tips on how to survive and stay healthy as November passes one long day at a time.
While you worry about your characters and your plot line, preparing to write, consider preparing your family for your single-minded dedication to your writing for a month. A few suggestions, depending on the preferences of your family:
· Make a short list of take-out and delivery restaurants in your area.
· Sign up for a meal-kit delivery service.
· Make a few casseroles to be frozen and eaten later.
· Research pre-prep meals for more suggestions.
Then, having done all you can to prepare writing project and your family, get a good night’s sleep.
Your next non-writing concern is taking care of yourself through the seemingly endless hours of typing.
The cardinal rule is to take frequent breaks. Don’t be afraid that breaks will slow your writing. Many studies have shown that you are actually more productive if you take breaks. How many breaks? How long?
There may be as many rules of thumb as there are thumbs on the internet. Here are just a few:
One rule of thumb is to get up and walk for 5 minutes every 40 minutes at the computer. Others recommend stopping every 30 minutes. This does not have to involve putting on shoes and coats and going outdoors. I walk the length of my house for miles. Since I don’t have to look for cars or puddles or tripping hazards, I can concentrate on planning the next scene or fine tuning the dialogue I’m writing at the moment.
Another rule is the 20/20/20 rule that says to focus your eyes on something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes at the computer. One of the problems with prolonged computer use is the slower blink rate. This makes your eyes dry and can cause eye strain.
Stand up and type for a few minutes. I have a small plastic step stool that my toddler grandson stands on to use the washbasin when he visits. Sometimes I put it under my desk and rest my feet on it to change my sitting position. Other times I put it on top of my desk and use it to raise my keyboard, allowing me to keep typing and stand or even march in place. This also puts the screen slightly below eye level, reducing glare. (I do not recommend trying to type in a prone position like our little image, but never say never. If it works for you, go for it!)
On one or more of your trips to another room, pause in a doorway. Place your fingertips on the top of the doorway, or as high on the sides as you can reach. Push your body forward, stretching your arms and shoulders. Then pretend you have pencils taped to your shoulders and “draw” circles in one direction, then in the opposite direction. Windmill your arms a couple of times in each direction. Roll your head in circles to stretch your neck muscles, again switching directions. Each of these movements relieve muscle strain.
“But,” you protest, “I need to type every minute I can to meet my word goals. I can’t stop every 20 minutes to take a break, or even every 40 minutes. I’ll lose my train of thought and spend forever getting back in the story.”
Try this: set a timer for 20 minutes. If it rings and your fingers are going as fast as they can, don’t stop. Just close your eyes for a few seconds and hit repeat on the timer. When you reach the end of the paragraph, look as far away as your environment allows for a few more seconds. Continue typing. If the timer goes off a second time and you are still going strong, BRAVO! Usually, at some point in the second twenty-minute period, you will hit a place where you must regroup your thoughts for the next sprint. Get up and walk as you work it out. Sit down and set the timer anew.
Remember, rules have exceptions. Listen to your body and make your own decisions.
If you have any tips on how to combat computer fatigue, please share them in a comment. If you are taking part in NaNoWriMo this year, please let us know so we can cheer you on.
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