Stay well to write well

This is the 12th day of NaNoWriMo. This episode is focused on your health and how to keep up your physical strength in order to finish your writing challenge strong.

I want to stress why it's important to stay well this month and to do things that will help keep you healthy as you write.

• You deserve it. You're out here trying to live your best life and write a novel in a month. You can't give yourself your best chance to do that when you're sick.

• You can't afford not to. Your health is your wealth and you want to spread the wealth and share your voice. Not your germs.

• You want to enjoy the fun of the challenge. If you're sick in bed the worse thing is not being able to write when you have everything you need at your fingertips and they just won't move. Because you don't feel well.

I have some good news and some bad news. first the bad news. It's very easy to fall into patterns that will destroy your health. The good news is that if you know what to look out for you can avoid those patterns and establish new habits that can take you through the rest of the novel writing process.

Here's a list of things that you don't want to do lest you end up in that state. You know the one. Where your brain is berating because you should've known better than this and yet here you are (high-pitched) If only you had listened to me when I told you that 6 hours was too long to stay cross-legged on your chair...

1. Pull multiple all-nighters
2. Remain in the same awkward position until you've hit your word count goal for the day.
3. Skip a meal until you hit your word count goal
4. Avoid daily hygiene routine. Please don't do this. You should take a few minutes to freshen up each and every day as needed.
5. You focus on writing by keeping your eyes glued to your computer.

I'm curious to know what you're doing to stay healthy? Let me know on Twitter @amadvox, or use #amadvox and join the conversation.

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