My Favorite Places: Lake Claiborne
Lake Claiborne, Alabama, in the fall. -- Photo by Pat Bean
“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.: –E.L. Doctorow
NaNoWriMo Update – 17,309 words
Only about 1,500 words today, but they felt like good, words and I feel I’m back on track with places to go in my book. A couple of new plot lines finally hit my brain cells. .
I also don’t feel too bad about the fewer words because I had several errands to run and two hours of physical therapy for my neck. I also did an extra blog to promote Rana DiOrino’s “What Does It Mean to Be Safe,” a children’s picture book, but one that has good advice for adults as well.
The other reality I’m facing is the fact that I can’t sit and sit in front of the computer as I want. It’s most likely what got my neck so horribly stiff in the first place. I need to get up and move about every 30 minutes.
So what I’m now doing is writing my book in short scenes, and then taking a short break. I walk the dog, put a load of clothes in the washer, do my neck and shoulder exercises or whatever. The key is to get right back to the computer and go into the next scene. It helps if I get up in the middle of a sentence so I can get right back into it. A timer’s helping me do that.
I’m also trying to convince myself that I really can write after the sun goes down. I don’t like it, but I can see it’s going to have to happen if I’m to meet the 50,000 word goal without screwing up my neck any more than I already have. Can I say my favorite “S” word right now?
Pat Bean's blog 
I”m having the same problem with my neck and the computer, so I literally feel your pain!
May we both soon be pain free
Keep writing … Pat Bean https://patbean.wordpress.com
I love this post, and I am a PM person so I write at night. But I don’t have a job right now so I can stay awake while the world sleeps in USA.
My other blog is http://thebloggingvalley.wordpress.com
where my challenge is.
OH my God. Pat, thank you so much for sharing this! I just got done writing a post about pain in the neck. I didn’t even occur to me that it was from hunching over the computer writing. I should know that by now. I’m so glad you’re keeping at it. It inspires me. One thing I found that helps my neck is one of those bed buddy things. It’s basically a long tube full of rice grains, you put in the microwave and wrap it around your neck for moist heat. It’s easy to make one out of a sock and rice.
I’ve also decided to switch from my laptop to the desktop in my office for long sessions. Better ergonomics.
Yeah amazing how we forget. I did, too … until i couldn’t ignore the stiff neck any longer. Physical therapy is helping, but I’ll try your rice pillow too. I love those little electrodes they put on my neck and back that massages your body with shocks.
Keep writing … Pat Bean https://patbean.wordpress.com