Writing with Chronic Illness: Improve Outlook and Productivity

by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

In this WMG Writer’s Guide, award-winning author Kristine Kathryn Rusch offers words of wisdom for writers who suffer from chronic illnesses and who want to keep working, to improve their craft and spread their creative wings.
A long-time sufferer herself, Rusch reports from the trenches. She tells us her own struggle with health issues and how they challenge her. But none of it actually derailed her career; she worked out ways to keep writing, and in the process became an international bestselling author with hundreds of books in print.
Rusch helps writers customize a plan of action based on the writer’s individual experience. She shows how to increase productivity by developing a positive, and realistic, outlook.
Importantly, Rusch points the way to reclaim the joy of writing, and celebrate success.

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing, Health

106 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2019

About the author

Kristine Kathryn Rusch is an award-winning mystery, romance, science fiction, and fantasy writer. She has written many novels under various names, including Kristine Grayson for romance, and Kris Nelscott for mystery. Her novels have made the bestseller lists –even in London– and have been published in 14 countries and 13 different languages.

Her awards range from the Ellery Queen Readers Choice Award to the John W. Campbell Award. In the past year, she has been nominated for the Hugo, the Shamus, and the Anthony Award. She is the only person in the history of the science fiction field to have won a Hugo award for editing and a Hugo award for fiction.

In addition, she's written a number of nonfiction articles over the years, with her latest being the book "A Freelancer's Survival Guide".

She has also published as:
Sandy Schofield (collaborations with husband Dean Wesley Smith)
Kristine Grayson - romances
Kathryn Wesley (collaborations with husband Dean Wesley Smith)
Kris Nelscott - mysteries
Kris Rusch - historical fiction
Kris DeLake - romances

Reviews

[Jana Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was curious about this book from the time its release was announced and pleased when the hubs got it for me as a Christmas pressie. I write through FM and other related chronic illness and it was interesting to see where the author's experience and mine overlapped and were different. I came away with some things to think about and possibly put in place and that was a fun conclusion. I do wish there had been more meat to this book though. I read through it very quickly and came away wanting more information. It's not really a guideline for writing with chronic illness so much as talking about the author's journey with her illness and some things that worked for her that you might be able to bring into your own life. Or not. If you want to. So I wanted more suggestions and more methods of implementation, though I'm looking forward to seeing if the things I did pick up will be helpful.

[Vito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes it takes a master of the craft to put you in your place.

While I've gushed over the work of Rusch before (including being an avid fan of her blog), to learn her history with writing is downright inspiring.

I've read many books on productivity, both in general and related to writing, but Rusch puts them all to shame. She's been writing for decades under many pen names and has done it all with chronic illness.

It's her sheer output, coupled with the many awards she's won, while having days where she could barely function that makes you feel inadequate. With all the health and tools in the world to make the process easy, you really feel shameful for not producing even slightly more.

Reading her story, suggestions and process felt like reading about the pulp fiction writers all over again—people who just sat down and wrote like crazy for years on end… mainly one draft writers on typewriters. Could you imagine if they had computers?

While the sections on writing advice where greatly appreciated, it was also good to hear about her struggle with headaches, scents and food allergies. As someone who works in a high school where the defacto standard seems to be enveloping the halls with body-spray (I have yet to meet a person who finds the scent of cheap body-spray even slightly attractive), her story opened up a new world with my own students.

I know something else to look for in the classroom when a young person is looking sick or uncomfortable.

What I appreciate most about this book is its presentation.

It's honest.

There's no clickbait title and promises of lucrative writing careers if you follow the formula, or buy the accompanying course which teaches the "deeper lessons." For that reason, you know what you're getting into and it's wonderfully done.

[Claire Swain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have just finished reading 'Writing With Chronic Illness' by Kristine Rusch. I have found numerous useful tips in this book that will hopefully help me to to write more productivity whilst trying to manage my own chronic Illness. I have wrote the ideas down In a notebook to support me to make my own individual plan.

When I first found this book "I thought this is fantastic! This is exactly what I need"
However, I assumed the author would have mobility difficulties, chronic pain, chronic fatigue or something along them lines. Yet, she has mostly suffered from severe allegries. Which I appreciate must be awful and chronic illness comes in many different forms; but Kristine now appears to be in mostly full health. She is able to walk over 10,000 steps a day, run, can write 5,000 words a day and pretty much leed a 'normal' life that the majority of people like me could only dream of.

Also at times the chapters contradicted each other and I feel it would have been easier for the reader if there was a small summary at each chapter in the 'General useful stuff' section to make it clear what advice the author is giving to the reader. 'The personal journey section' is good to get to know more about the author and her journey; yet it felt messy and hard to follow.

Overall, I am glad I purchased this book yet it is not what I expected and In several cases I found it hard to relate to. I am grateful to the author for the ideas she has shared in this book and hopefully it will help me and others with chronic illnesses with their writing careers.

[Leanne Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book on how to be a productive author in spite of health issues was a great encouragement to me. Kristine Rusch struggles with severe environmental allergies and fatigue, while I struggle with poor eyesight. I could relate to her sense of determination in the face of difficulty and am inspired by her success.
Although I have not read any of this author's fiction, i have been aware of her non-fiction for some time. She is a prolific author and possesses a very confident style of writing. This confidence comes across here. The book is never apologetic or embarrassed about chronic illness, but puts it front and centre as a challenge that needs to be overcome. Not only that, but when an author takes on the challenge and creates his or her own workarounds, the benefit of increased awareness and self-discipline show up in every other part of his or her life.
Recommended for all writers and artists who struggle with physical pain, disability or illness.

[Shu Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encouraging! I write with chronic pain and other conditions and this, while not a blue print, is certainly a cheering squad for doing it and doing it consistently.

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodreads doesn't allow for assigning of half-stars, but I would have given 3.5 stars if I could; Kristine Kathryn Rusch, a prolific SFF and romance writer who writes under several pen names, is known for productivity although she explains her frustrations with that, and goes on to emphasize that there are several behind-the-scenes things going on that have helped her find a system that works for her rather than having a magically enhanced sense of discipline. I thought this title in and of itself was a decent delivery on the premise insomuchas the writer promises to discuss how she has navigated through her chronic illnesses and found a way to write around them. Although the author acknowledges that some of her readers write to let her know about the disabilities they have and that she's very fortunate to have the resources she does, I think that it is also important to emphasize the writer's privileged background. As a cisthet white woman, she has the support of a wonderful spouse who is also a writer, and has a dual-income household. This writer has the extreme good fortune of writing full-time, which is a pipe dream for most of us, and I mean, it's always been a pipe dream, but it has become increasingly rarer and rarer for people to become full-time writers. Migraines are no joke--I suffer from them myself, and sympathize with the author having had to work very hard to find ways to mitigate her pain and other symptoms and how debilitating her allergies have been in the past to fragrances. However, the majority of writers reading this book do not have the luxury, for lack of a better term--mainly the financial resources, to move to a different state, and if they do, there are systemic problems they face such as housing discrimination, providing proof of income, finding new medical professionals to help them, and much more. It's also worth noting that this book is a compilation of the author's blog posts accumulated from several years, ranging from the early to late 2000s to 2018-19, which the author is very upfront about. However, readers who have read her posts or have heard her speak on these topics may wish to skip this book.

[LauraBee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short book about an important topic. How do we who suffer from chronic illness or chronic pain deal with being productive writers, and just productive people overall?

It was enlightening to read Kristine’s story and her tips that have worked for her, and some other ideas. She wrote a fair amount of new material for this book, although a few earlier blog posts are in there, too.

I’m glad she and her husband relocated to Las Vegas, as that enabled them to be speakers at a publishing seminar I attended last fall. It was a very nice surprise!

And yes, for a person with chronic illness, I can attest that she is a great speaker with plenty of energy and experience. Prolific, indeed.

The primary thing she emphasized is coming to terms with your priorities. Writing, for her, is not first or second. Those are her family (husband), and her health. Writing is third on her list. I like that because it takes into account for the inevitable bad days. It keeps things in perspective.

This is a very quick read with actionable tips. Worth it for a select audience.

[Elis Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts of the second half were helpful, but the author’s reluctance to share any real details of her medical conditions (outside of allergies and migraines) was a big drawback. So, too, was the repetitive nature of a book clearly written by stringing together blog posts.

You get the same information you don’t need over and over again while refusing to provide real tips for other writers. What specific things do you do to make it easier to writer with a migraine? Do you deal with chronic pain? Have you considered the fact that most people aren’t wealthy and can’t just move to Las Vegas to treat their health? What do people with day jobs do? In other words, can we get some specifics so we know how to proceed?

On the other hand, the advice she did provide was simple, made sense, would result in unique and valuable solutions for all writers, and started me on a path toward designing my ideal writing situation that will work because I customized it to my needs.

Hence the 3 stars — a pain to read and you nitpick to find what’s useful, but when you do, it’s worth having read it.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you think you think you need this advice...

then you need this book. Rusch writes from the authority of a professional writer and the personal insights of a person who has struggled with chronic illness.
Some of the advice is straightforward and others you will have to extrapolate for your own personal use, but it is a unique book dedicated to the writer who has physical problems. Well worth the read if this applies to you.

[Charlotte Dune · Rating 5 out of 5]

must read for anyone on the struggle bus

I think I’ve already recommended this book to three people before I even finished it, and now that I’ve finished it I will be recommending it even more. Whether you suffer from mental health conditions or physical health conditions, if you’re a writer who constantly feels like your body is interrupting you from achieving your goals, then this book is for you. I found it so cathartic, and I’ll be thinking about it often.

[David Macpherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading Rusch's guides whether they are addressed to me or not. Her wisdom on how to focus on writing is wonderful. I do not have chronic illness but I was inspired to focus more on my writing and have begun to embrace some of her advice as well.

[Robin St. Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

Offers some helpful advice but it's hard because everyone's situation is so different. Still waiting for a magical book about writing while working full time and being ill. But this book was worth the read.

[Bjørn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything by Kristine Kathryn Rusch is worth a read – I'm proud to be her patron on Patreon (no, I didn't get paid to say this ;) ) and as a fellow writer with a chronic illness I found this book both helpful and interesting, even the parts that don't apply to me.

[Darren Lipman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid reflection on the struggles of writing with chronic illness. The book has useful and applicable advice for maintaining a writing practice. I wish there were an extra chapter regarding mental health struggles, but given the author’s experience, this absence seems understandable.

[Evelyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Helen Savore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this hit hit the spot.
A musy read for those suffering through chronic illnesses. While aimed for the writer, this really hit home in all aspects of my life.

[Ellen Bard · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a writer who has two chronic illnesses, this book was a must-buy. The author is already a bit of a hero figure for me given her incredible success in publishing and her down to earth attitude, and understanding the context of what she’s doing that in was eye-opening. As always with this kind of thing, there was a balance of inspiring and also inadequacy that I’m unclear I manage my chronic illnesses as effectively to to produce the same level of output, though she is very keen to say don’t do this (there is a whole section on Comparisons!).
I found it interesting that much of the advice she gave was very inline with my own set up way of working (such as priorities, where I set four at the start of each year, and they guide my decision making about my time), and I loved (of course!) that she talked about self-care. Reviewing things through her lens was very useful, and I have made some tweaks to my routine especially which I think will help me both in health and writing. I'd have loved even more practical tips.
There can be a rawness in reading this kind of book when you have a similar situation, so be warned, it might bring up some feelings in you if you are also a writer with a chronic illness, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth working through. And to all those who deal with a similar thing on a daily basis, you are awesome.

[Alexandria Blaelock · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nifty little book (quick read) in two parts, one about Rusch's health and the other about the techniques she uses to manage it. Like many things in life, it's a matter of mindset.
* Make plans for what you can realistically achieve on your good, bad and in-between days.
* If you can write 1,000 words/day, you'll have 3 x 90k novels at the end of the year - set some goals.
* Remove the temptations that take you away from the writing.
* Don't give yourself sick days unless you'd take them for paid work.

[JacQueline Vaughn Roe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was absolutely encouraging & the only thing I wanted more of was maybe a few coaching questions in different sections to help us navigate how to put the value of the book to work in our favor. Still, I am a big girl & can come up with some for myself as I review what I’ve highlighted, right? Totally recommending this to others!

[Yamimana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not exactly what I thought it would be but still an enjoyable read with some useful information, even if that information is not entirely new or groundbreaking.

[Spencer Borup · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth the read. As chronic illness is a very wide subject and everyone's experience will be unique, this is a very difficult topic to give advice on, but the author manages to do so.