Writing | Writing Tips | Chronic Illness

Establishing a Writing Routine Amidst Chronic Illness: A Guide

Being a writer (or anything, for that matter) with a chronic illness is no easy feat. How do you create a writing routine when you have work and family responsibilities on top of chronic fatigue and pain?

It is doable. Here’s how I do it and get published (both self-publishing and publishing with indie publishers).

#1 Time of Day Matters

What time of day do you feel the most energized and productive? I know many writers get up early and write before work, which is great! But suffering from POTS means that I feel even worse in the mornings due to dehydration, so that is a no-go for me. For me, I take one to two hours a day to work on my writing in the early afternoon right after lunch, or if I finish my work early, I’ll write mid-morning. I take breaks on weekends. Try to stick to this time, make it a non-negotiable if possible. Don’t feel like writing? Fret not, dear friend. See my next tip.

#2 Not Writing Can Still Be Productive

Creating a writing routine doesn’t mean you always have to be writing. If you’re having a low-energy day, go back and edit what you wrote the day before. Take some notes about where you want your novel plot to go. Make Pinterest mood boards that pertain to something you’re writing. Make your book characters using AI platforms like Midjourney. Write a quick newsletter. Jot down new ideas for blog articles. Read and learn something new to further your writing practice. You don’t always have to be writing to be making progress.

A little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing.

#3 Write in Bed if You Have To

Or wherever you are most comfy. For me, creating a writing routine meant writing at my best time of day and finding the most comfortable spot in which to work. My two favorite spots for writing are my bed and my couch. Having chronic pain and stiffness means sitting at a desk can actually make my pain worse, despite having a great chair.

I know, I know, research says you should never work in bed, but I can’t tell you how many days I have worked from my bed or couch — both for work and for my writing. I did it out of necessity. But of course, don’t take this advice if it doesn’t work for you. But no matter where you write, make sure you are getting up every hour to move around and stretch, which is doubly important if you have chronic pain.

Tip: Keep a yoga mat on the floor near wherever you write and take frequent stretch breaks. It’s great for your body and your mind.

#4 Start Small

Only ten minutes a day is better than nothing and can help your routine much easier. Using a timer is very effective here. It’s not new advice — using a timer is a great way to stay focused and feel more productive. Start with five minutes and just write. Doesn’t matter what. If an article, short story, or novel chapter seems daunting because you aren’t feeling well, try freewriting for five minutes, or try your hand at writing a poem.

Usually, once the timer goes off, you want to keep going. I also have a notebook I keep nearby so I can scribble whatever comes to mind, whether it’s notes for my next chapter or a short poem that just popped into my mind.

A little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing.

#5 Give Yourself Permission to Have Days Off

You don’t have to write every day, nor do you need to. Daily writing practices work for many writers, but if you have chronic illness or fatigue, you may not have that luxury. Resting your body and mind will help you come back recharged, refreshed, and ready to write. I write M-F and usually take weekends off, but if I’m feeling up to it and I’m inspired I’ll write on weekends as well. The key is taking time off regularly so you don’t burn out — which is even easier for those of us with chronic illness.

#6 And Give Yourself Permission to Have Off Days

There will also be days when you just have a bad writing day. Brain fog is one of the worst aspects of my chronic illness, and some days it can make writing very difficult and frustrating. I literally lose my train of thought midsentence sometimes. But it’s ok, we all have off days.

Writing badly is better than not writing at all. Even writing badly means you showed up. And that’s the first step in creating any routine.

#7 Shift your mindset

Once I started looking at my personal writing goals as my job instead of a hobby, everything changed.

You can’t progress or create a routine when you’re only writing here and there. Being a writer means showing up and doing the work every day, five days a week, three days a week, whatever your schedule (and your illness) will allow. Once I combined looking at my personal writing as my job with setting a fixed time of day to write, my productivity skyrocketed.

#8 Start Small (Part Deux)

When I first started writing long-form content even getting 1000 words written seemed daunting. I tried to go from being a micropoet straight to being a novelist.

It was a terrible idea.

I got overwhelmed (which is easy for me with an anxiety disorder) so easily. A novel is just so…huge. So many moving parts.

So, I took a step back from novel writing and started writing flash fiction. I read everything I possibly could about how to write it, as well as read as much free flash as I could get my hands on (and there is so much out there — more on that in a later post). Then I made a list of publications that accept flash fiction and other short-form content (this will also be a later post, so stay tuned!).

Before long, I had a long list of stories I had published (see my first published flash fiction piece here). No, I didn’t make much money, but I wasn’t in it for the money. I was teaching myself a new skill, sharing my words, and building my portfolio.

Having small goals and shorter pieces to write meant I stopped dreading my writing time, which helped me get my writing routine on lock (and the dopamine hit of getting accepted to publications doesn’t hurt!).

• Note: Many new publications, while very accepting of newbie writers, sometimes don’t make last long. Two years later, I now have quite a few stories I must republish because the publishers have gone out of business. Just an FYI.

Once I started feeling more comfortable with flash fiction, I started crafting longer stories, then moved on to writing a serial (episodes must be short), then to rewriting the serial into a novel.

So my point (after my long diatribe) is to start writing short-form content if you don’t have the time, energy, or stamina for anything longer. This will help you show up to write and your routine will start to build itself. Start with 100 words and go from there.

This procedure of writing — going from micro poetry to flash to short stories to a serial — has helped me immensely. I now have a 90K word serial manuscript I’m reworking into a novel. And honestly, I never thought I’d make it this far.

Small steps, baby.

You’ll never regret the days you’ve written — only days you haven’t.

#9 Find a Critique Partner

Another piece of advice I have for creating a writing routine is finding a writing or critique partner — someone who keeps you accountable. Ask your writer friends if they would like to swap writings for feedback, or if you are a lone wolf, there are sites where you can be matched up with a writing partner who writes in the same genre as you. Having fresh eyes on my work made me a better writer, and helped me show up — not just for myself, but also for my partner.

Here is a great list of 40 places to find a writing partner.

#10 Just Keep Going

No matter what, don’t quit. You can’t make a writing routine if you don’t show up. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to quit. It’s hard work, it’s hard to market and be seen, and social media can feel like screaming into a void. And all of that on top of chronic illness can beat you down. I know, I’ve been there. Many times. Some days it’s literally hard to do anything.

Some days we’re just surviving. I get it.

But I also know how it feels to go without writing. I always regret not writing. Two things I never regret? Writing and exercising. Those are two non-negotiables to help me feel productive, feel better, and feel good about myself.

You’ll never regret the days you’ve written — only days you haven’t.

So, even if you have to scribble in your Notes app on your phone in bed, you’re still writing.

Keep going. You’re going to make it. I have faith in you. Show your chronic illness you can reach your goals despite it trying to kick your ass every day. I’m proof that it can be done!

H.R. Parker © 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Click here to check out some of my published works — all done while being a chronic illness warrior.

Want to learn more about how to navigate the writer’s life with chronic illness — and be successful? Give me a follow, and let’s get a discussion going in the comments about how you are achieving your dreams despite your illness.

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