Write Every Day?

You probably know the adage: “Write every day.”  Because I love to write, that's not hard to do. But not long ago, my writing routine was abruptly interrupted.  I came down with some weird mysterious flu.  The chills, a migraine, and nausea kept me from writing (and cooking for my family, going to the hair salon, taking care of the cat, and doing household chores).  I was miserable and bed-ridden.  All I could think about was staying warm and not throwing up.  After several doses of Imitrex and Tylenol, plus anti-nausea medicine, I was back on my feet in five hours—until another headache and a wave of nausea hit again.  So…back to bed. 

Through it all, my cat stayed by my side.  I had heard that dogs know when their owners are sick and will stay close by.  I never knew cats would.  And yet, Ollie did.  Okay, I was using one of his favorite nap-time comforters, but I like to think he really wanted to be close to comfort me.  And he did, snuggling and purring.  Later that evening, I was up and at ‘em.  I couldn’t eat much, and I didn’t want to think about anything, even writing. 

Two days later, I was ready to tackle some editing.  It was a great feeling, sitting in front of the computer with my work before me. After being sick, my mind was clear. I had more drive and energy.    

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t recommend that anyone get sick to find a new zeal for writing.  But I noticed that in getting away from the computer keyboard was beneficial.  I’ll have to think hard about the “writing every day” approach.  Maybe taking a break from time to time is a good thing.  For me, putting writing on hold for a few days gave me a new appreciation for what I love to do.   

Don't forget to check out the August issue of Kid's Imagination Train, now a flipbook, at: www.kidsimaginationtrain.com