Making Yourself Comfortable

Dana asked an interesting question: "What kinds of physical challenges have you faced in the daunting regimen of writing, and how have you compensated?"

I don’t know that I’ve found the writing and agenting life to be all that daunting, but I can share with you Ten Tips I’ve discovered…

1. Start an exercise program. Years ago, I simply went out and spent $200 on a Nordictrac, and I used it about 5 or 6 times per week for years. I hated it, but I felt better, had more energy, and it kept my heart pumping. Then I started running, and I still run most days. The fact is, writing and editing (and agenting) is a lot of sitting on your butt. Getting up gets your heart pumping, helps you handle stress better, and gives you more mental acuity. 

2. Use an ergonomic keyboard. It's much easier on the hands, and it'll only take you two days to get used to. (An added benefit: you'll never again hit the the letters "n", "h", or "y" by accident with your left index finger!)

3. Buy a good office chair. One that doesn't cut of circulation to your legs, that supports your lower back, that allows your feet to touch the floor (yeah, I'm short), and maybe even that leans you forward a bit. Then ask your spouse or co-worker to nag you about sitting up straight.

4. Spend ten bucks on a document holder. Some of the best money you'll ever spend.

5. Spend twenty bucks on a headset for your phone. I resisted this for years...now I LOVE my headset.

6. Learn to take breaks every hour. At those breaks, stand up and move around, and stretch out your hands.

7. Face your screen sideways to the window, not in front of it or beside it. That way your eyes aren’t fighting light from the window with light from the screen.

8. Get your work area organized. That will make you more relaxed, and it'll make you a more effective writer anyway. I admit to being a neat freak, and hate walking into an office that's a mess. But really, I don't believe the people who have piles of stuff all over but say to me, "Oh, I know where everything is." Ha. 

9. Invest in good lighting -- bright but gentle. Note that all fluorescent lighting has a tendency to tire your eyes (in addition to ruining your photographs over time).

10. Hire a really good collaborative writer to actually write your book for you, so all you have to do is cash checks and do celebrity appearances. This is the MOST effective way to save your body from the rigors of a writing career, of course. And it leaves plenty of time to catch up on old episodes of “Perry Mason” and “Gilligan’s Island.”

Comments

[Katie Ganshert]

Excellent advice. I do hardly any of these....except the exercise. The way I sit in front of my computer is ridiculous. Truly. I need to get better at that. I'm working on numero ten.

[Brandt Dodson]

Great Chip!

I've also found that keeping one's finger nails trimmed (they should be under four inches in length) can help a great deal since it is extremely difficult to type with nails that continually get caught beteen the keys. After all, how many books have you seen that were authored by Howard Hughes?

[KarynBrownlee]

So...is your Nordictrac for sale? Know any "good collaborative writers"? When fifty rolls around in a few years, I want to look fab, not flab!

[Marti Pieper]

I was reading along and patting myself on the back until I reached the last point. Smiling here because I AM that collaborative writer (with or without your descriptors)who needs all those tools to survive. Who knew I had it backwards all along?

On a more serious note: great tips. My favorite tools are the headset and ergonomic keyboard (although I hated both at first). And exercise? Can't write without it. THANKS!

[Theresa Lode]

Great tips, Chip. I never considered a document holder before and will get one.

I have a good friend (a successful author) who also adds a weekly massage appointment to his "must do's." He does not consider this a luxury but a necessity in warding off occupational overuse injury.

Additionally, he paces when he's on a phone call.

[Stevie Rey]

I write, you watch Gilligan...sounds like a plan, Chip!

[Cindy Thomson]

Remind me not to skype you. I don't want you seeing my desk. But, I do know where everything is!

[dining tables]

Such an amazing tip. I was so impressed in what I read. I will definitely going to share this to my friends and I am sure that they will be surprise.

[Mike Sheehan]

Hi Chip,

Your 10 tips are all good advice, especially the last one, which of course makes the first 9 unnecessary.

I made my living as a technology writer and free-lancer in Silicon Valley from 1980 to 1994 before becoming CEO of a natural medications company (now there's a career change you don't see every day!), so I wanted to add just a couple more tips to your list. One, keep a bottle of water handy at or near your desk if you plan to spend a few hours at the keyboard, so your brain does not dehydrate and shrivel up, making it difficult to even spell "cat" or remember why you're sitting in front of a computer. Two, if you get blocked, I always found a nice brisk 2-3 mile run cleared my head and made things fall into place, such as a coming up with a catchy headline, opening line or fake quote that I attributed to the CEO about embezzling $5 million from his company (although the defense attorneys never found that funny for some reason!)

Keep up the good work - your blog is always informative and appreciated.

[Carla Gade]

Great tips!