Ask the Author: Robin Donnelly
Answered Questions (6)
Robin Donnelly
I've not had writer's block, but I have had things that have prevented me from writing, and all were my choice for not having written.
Robin Donnelly
I do it at home in my pajamas and I stop and start whenever I want to.
Robin Donnelly
For me, it's 1) Eat healthy 2) Exercise 3) Write/Read. In that order.
Eat as healthy as you can, mostly at home and if you can't eat at home, at least make the best choice possible. Do something physical every day. I like walking and biking mostly but sometimes lift weights and stretch if I'm too pooped to do a full workout. The key is to find something that really wakes up your brain and gets your blood flowing. Then write. You'll feel alive and fueled and ready to travel back in time when you show up at your computer if you do just those two things.
Finally, and this may be the most important, is to get off FB. If you're not on there as a way to hold yourself accountable; shouting about your word count and how great you did today, then just don't. Engaging in writing/abuse groups, comment threads and telling your story there prevents you from getting your book finished and telling your stories in a more meaningful way.
Eat as healthy as you can, mostly at home and if you can't eat at home, at least make the best choice possible. Do something physical every day. I like walking and biking mostly but sometimes lift weights and stretch if I'm too pooped to do a full workout. The key is to find something that really wakes up your brain and gets your blood flowing. Then write. You'll feel alive and fueled and ready to travel back in time when you show up at your computer if you do just those two things.
Finally, and this may be the most important, is to get off FB. If you're not on there as a way to hold yourself accountable; shouting about your word count and how great you did today, then just don't. Engaging in writing/abuse groups, comment threads and telling your story there prevents you from getting your book finished and telling your stories in a more meaningful way.
Robin Donnelly
I'm currently resting from writing Steel Town Girl, which I published the end of September. Although I collected my memories over the decades in order to write my memoir, I only dealt with them on a superficial level to get them out. Processing them on a much deeper level left me gasping for air and I was physically exhausted from processing it all. In the process of writing Steel Town Girl, I was diagnosed with C/PTSD, something I was told I've probably had since well before that diagnosis existed for trauma survivors. I did, however, start my second memoir that deals with single motherhood, the welfare system, romantic relationships, nursing school and more interactions with my narcissistic parents. I'm hopeful I'll find my steam again and get rolling on that soon.
Robin Donnelly
My life has always been about caring for others. In childhood, I was the parentified child who took care of my mother and my little brother. And off the heels of a traumatic childhood, I became a young single mother and later I became a nurse. Once I had an empty nest and retired from nursing, my inspiration to write was to keep my promise to myself and finally write my memoir.
Robin Donnelly
When no one wanted to hear about what hurt me as a child, I started writing down my memories and filed them away in a three-ring binder. It was my attempt at dealing with them and allowed me to clear them enough to show up for my role as a mom for my son.
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