First Drafting, Part 7: Discomfort

I have intermittent wrist problems.  There can be weeks where I don't have a single bit of pain.  But then it hits.  I might have tried to do pushups or something else that strained them.  I could have pushed myself up and out of bed without being careful.  Maybe I wrote too fast or gripped the pen too hard while taking notes on Sunday.  Maybe it's NaNo, and I just wrote too much at one time and didn't give myself a break.

But now writing hurts.  The last two fingers on my left hand tingle.  My typing speed has slowed.  And now I need to take "breathers" because one or both wrists hurt.

What do I do?

Take a Day Off

Sometimes I'll just take the day off from writing.  I like to take a break now and then, just to keep myself from getting burnt out, and also give myself a chance to do a few other tasks that have been hanging over my head.  This is usually a good excuse.

Or perhaps I'll find a way to do something story related without much typing involved.  I'll do a bit of editing or typo-catching, maybe organize the story folders, or perhaps even re-read the story and just enjoy it without being nitpicky. 

Push Through the Pain

If it's during a NaNo event, or when I'm hit hard with the inspiration bug, I'll often just push through the pain.  I know that my wrists are just a little strained, and while it hurts, it won't kill me.  It may make the pain last for an extra day, but at this point, I care more about getting the story finished than my own comfort.

Disclaimer: I'm not telling you to "stop being such a wimp" and whenever you have some kind of pain just to keep writing through it.  But I'm saying it is an option.  If you want to do it, you can.  Just know that there may be consequences.

But sometimes my wrists hurt, I keep writing, and next thing I know, they're no longer hurting and I can just keep going.

Don't Stress

Things like this happen, so don't worry about not getting as much done. as you wanted.  Take care of yourself first.  Take a bit of medicine.  Go for a walk.  Get a brace.  And relax.  A day of no writing is better than a few days of not getting much done because of pain.

Prepare

Before you start writing, get a snack and a drink and keep them nearby, just in case they're needed.  Find a comfortable place to sit.  Get some cushions, pillows, blankets, whatever it takes to keep you comfortable during your writing time.  Play some music in the background, get situated, and write!

I'm sorry that was a bit short.  I typed most of this up last week, but then I went on a quick trip to visit some friends, and the hurricane kinda happened...