Sue Knott's Blog: Knott The Screaming Type - Posts Tagged "writing"

I don't believe writing has to be "literature" to be worthwhile. However, I do believe an author who provides no substance to his/her work is doing the reader a disservice.

Writing can provide meaningful insights and entertain at the same time. Giving the reader interesting, new ideas to chew on even after the book is finished should be a goal all writers strive toward. At the very least, incorporating fascinating information should be a given.

Without some worthwile knowledge, some insight into the human condition, some historical background, some fun facts...writing can be like empty calories: yummy going down, but otherwise a waste.

This isn't the kind of advice I've ever seen anywhere, yet it is the most important advice any serious writer could hope to get. (How's that for a dramtic build up?)

I'm talking about ergonomics. Actually, beyond ergonomics. Writing wreaks havoc on the body. (Who knew? I figured this had to be the physically safest career in the world. Wrong.) I'm addressing this to young writers because it's likely too late for old writers. Sorry about that.

I say "beyond ergonomics" because I'm urging you to consider not just a comfortable chair and a good desk. I think you should seriously consider Dragon Naturally Speaking dictation software by Nuance. This software is amazingly accurate (Siri doesn't even come close). I have the professional version, but I believe the home version can be had for under $50. I beleive this is the way of the future. (I swear, I have NO relationship with this company. My endorsement is unbiased.)

I urge you to start using this software as early in life as possible. High school would be the ideal time to start. Imagine the time and effort you could save if you simply dictated your papers to your computer rather than typing them! If you got really skillful, you could use a digital recorder to "write" while you took a walk, cleaned your room or whatever. (You'd probably have to walk slow as I do. When I pick up speed and start breathing heavy, Dragon thinks I'm saying "him" every time I exhale.)

I know several writers with back, arm or hand problems that have forced them to either stop writing or greatly reduce their writing schedule. It's horrible when you want to write and you can't. It's even worse when that is how you make your living.

I'm urging you to use the software as early as possible because, for me at least, thinking out loud is an entirely different process than thinking at the keyboard. I remember when I first started working as a copywriter. The thoughts came so fast, I'd lose half of them before I got them down on paper. I gradually adjusted and now seem to think at the speed I type. I'm hoping that I'll gradually speed up to thinking at the speed I talk. (I talk really, really fast. Sometimes, I have a difficult time understanding what I said when playing back a recording. Yet, the Dragon Naturally Speaking software understand at least 95% of what I say.)

If you can't (or don't want to) buy/use the software, at least set a 20 minute timer by your computer and get up and stretch every time it goes off. It's interruptive of the thought process, but still better than damaging your spine or nerves.

Also, if you work really hard at your writing -- for long hours at a time -- look out the window at least once every 20 minutes, too. If not, your distance vision is likely to go...maybe in as little as a year or two. (Though, they do have some really attractive glasses out there...and glasses do make you look like a writer...hmmmm.)

I'm not saying you shouldn't learn how to type. But, learning how to type and how to dictate efficiently will serve you well.

You're welcome.

My novel, "Catching On Fire," made it into the second round of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. And I'm not sure how to feel about that.

Isn't that crazy? Publishing is so topsy-turvy these days that even winning an award can be confusing thing?

The trouble is, there's a revolution going on. Sensing a chance to be king of the hill, everyone is bullying everyone else in an aggressive power grab. Stores are trying to beat Amazon down. Amazon is trying to beat publishers down. Microsoft, Google and Apple are trying to push their way into the category. The fighting just keeps intensifying.

That's why I've been happy jump into the indie niche. The interests of readers are being lost in the fray. As an indie author, I can (somewhat) ignore all the drama and focus on telling stories and giving readers what I think they'll enjoy. I don't have to take sides in the publishing wars. But, as an Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award winner, I would have to align myself with Amazon. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but, well...I like not having to take sides.

I am sure in the long run that whatever companies survive will, once again, put readers' needs first. Things will get a lot tougher for indie authors then. But, they'll be better for readers. And that's what really matters.

This is not a political post. But, it is about how today's (2013's) healthcare coverage system works. And by "works" I mean "does not work." Or, more accurately, I mean "sucks."

Unfortunately, no one realizes how bad the system sucks until they either try to follow their dreams or get really, really sick. And since most people cannot imagine themselves getting really, really sick -- but would love to think they might want to someday follow their dream -- we'll start there.

Usually following your dream involves saying "neener, neener, neener" to your boss while putting your thumb on your nose and wiggling your fingers. Here lies the problem. It turns out that you can't get decent healthcare coverage at an affordable price without your joyless, soul-crushing employer.

Let's look at that word, "affordable." Some of you may think $1,000 a month is not "affordable." Unfortunately, that is the going price for "affordable" family coverage. At least, it is in NY state. As states go, NY requires providers to give its citizens pretty decent healthcare coverage. You can probably get by for less in states where the coverage includes little more than a Bandaid (R), aspirin and a lollipop. (Note: you really don't get that lollipop in NY anymore.)

Without an employer or a business generating real income (and your new business likely won't generate income and will be considered a "hobby"), you'll pretty much need to fork over something in the $30,000 (annual) range for family coverage. Can you hear your dream dying?

Let's say you'd like to be an author. It will take you a lot of time to write your book. Even more time to make any money from writing. And all those years that you are trying to be an author, you'd be paying those tens of thousands of dollars a year for healthcare coverage. Of course, if your spouse is employed, you can use his/her coverage.(isn't that "his/her" thing annoying? We need sex-neutral singular personal pronouns.)

Sure, I know what you're thinking. I'll just use my spouse's "affordable" coverage. But, there's a catch. Once said spouse sees you following your dream, he/she will become envious and want to follow theirs. But, the spouse can't because the spouse is the family's "affordable" healthcare coverage getter.

Maybe your dream isn't to be an author. Maybe your dream is to retire early. Who doesn't want to do that? And maybe you've been a good little saver and could actually afford to do that. Well, factor in that $30,000+ annual healthcare coverage cost and your savings will look like chopped liver. (Note: I don't know what chopped liver looks like, but I'm guessing it is not pretty.)

I am not going to say Obamacare is or is not the answer. No one knows how close it might be to the answer. And anyone who thinks they know is fooling themself. ("Themself" should be a word. No one wants to write or read "his or her self. It is inefficient.)

Anyway, looking into the future to predict how the Affordable Care Act will pan out is simply too complicated. There will be both good and bad unintended consequences.

One unintended consequence I'm predicting is a lot of people retiring early. That will be a good thing: job openings for young people. Happy retired people. And healthier people. (I don't know about you, but working is not as good for my health as not working. Working is stressful. Working requires me to sit alot and that is ruining my back. When I'm not working, I go to the gym. I walk. I eat healthier because I have the time to prepare healthy food. Heck, I'd GROW healthy food.)

Unfortunately, I don't think any of this early retirement stuff would happen all at once because a lot of people will be skeptical. After all, if the administration changes and the Affordable Care Act is axed or gutted -- and you retired early -- you might be shoot out of luck.

There are probably bad unintended consequences, too. I'm just pointing out some of the good stuff that would happen if we fixed the system. And I don't know if Obamacare will fix the system because I cannot predict the future. I just wanted to point out that as the system stands in 2013, you can forget your dreams of quitting your job or retiring early because your need for healthcare coverage will stomp all over those plans like Lucy Ball stomping grapes in the classic "grape stomping" episode of "I Love Lucy" (not to be confused with the classic "candy assembly line" episode.)

I could go on and tell you how if you get sick under the current plan (I mean really sick, for a long time: the kind of catastrophic sickness health insurance was designed for), your healthcare coverage (as opposed to old-fashioned health insurance) will leave you high and dry. Because you will eventually lose your job. And if you lose your job, you will eventually lose your employer-sponsored healthcare coverage. And then you will have to pay that $30,000+ annual rate until you are dead broke and go on Medicaid. Ain't that a great system?

I won't bother going into details on that because no one ever thinks it will happen to them. (And you can always use your spouse's coverage. And if your spouse doesn't have coverage, you can get divorced and marry someone with coverage. Don't laugh. I'll bet this has happened. I know a guy with a brain tumor who got married for the healthcare coverage.)

Anyway, I bet no one is reading anymore, so I should stop talking to myself. If you are still reading, and you have a dream, remember, I am not the one squashing your dream...I am just the one informing you how the current healthcare system will squash it. Maybe the Affordable Care Act will fix it. Maybe it won't. Put your dreams on hold until something is definite (which might not happen for a long, long time.) Have a nice day.