“The Cat Discusses” is the general essay portion of my SubStack. The first few posts will be rewrote essays from my old author blog, revamped to match my current morals and thought processes.
NaNoWriMo, also known as National Novel Writing Month. Sign yourself up on the official website, write 50k words in 30 days, walk out the other side with a first draft of something. Seems simple enough, right?
This event that we subject ourselves to? It’s voluntary. No one is holding us down and making us participate. And yet, every year there is a trend in creative spaces which seems antithetical to the basis of the event. Still, it seems plenty of writers almost… fetishize destroying themselves for the sake of saying they’re taking part. And, without fail, the “memes” about it all crop up at the start of November.
I’ve done NaNo. I’ve not done NaNo. This year, I don’t know which route I will go yet. All I know is that it isn’t good for me or anyone else to push beyond our limits for the sake of an event that, while it fosters a sense of community, won’t benefit us mentally in the long run. Further still, while some memes disparaging writing will get a chuckle out of me, I don’t think the general culture around writing is a healthy one.
But that’s a topic for another time.
I think a good alternative to this phenomenon, this need to stress ourselves out for “fun”, is to prioritize our well-being. With that in mind, here’s some tips to keep you in good condition.
Make sure to stay hydrated. Water is best, but most fluids are beneficial.
Take breaks. Staring at screens all day hurts. Every hour or so, stand up, walk around, get your blood flowing. Just for five minutes. Set a timer if you have to.
Make sure to eat something! If you don’t have the energy to make an entire meal, that’s okay. Eat a snack. Peanut butter toast. Slices of fruit. Something to help give your body nutrients.
Check your posture!
Flex your wrists. Often. Look up some exercises online.
Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t meet your goal. What’s important is you did your best.
If you need to take a day off, or multiple, do so.
Understand what works best for you. If you need to have music in the background, do so. If you can only write on the third Tuesday of the month between midnight and 12:15, then… do that.
Most importantly, check in with your loved ones and reach out if you need to be checked on! Reaching out is one of the hardest things to do, but know that you are valued and loved and needed.
Think I missed something? Have other tips you want to suggest? Let me know them down below!