Rooibos + Word Count: Writing Without Caffeine
Writing and coffee go together like a good book and a rainy day; a cat and a laptop; a fountain pen and brand new journal. This begs the question, what does the writer become when the coffee is gone?
It was a rough moment when I realized I was going to have to get through NaNoWriMo 2022 without coffee or tea. It was sort of like skidding off the road and hitting a guardrail — and realizing I am unhurt but in an undesirable situation.
This blog post isn’t about higher-evolution or the amazing benefits of life without caffeine. You’ll never hear me utter such heresy as “coffee is bad for you.” I’m *~literally~* a barista.
The necessity to go without caffeine for November was purely health related. Believe me, I don’t need to elaborate and as soon as I can brew that full-caff cuppa again, I will.
That said, doing NaNoWriMo (and writing in general) without the help of a caffeinated beverage was an experience.
Not one I would recommend!
2 Weeks of Writing With No Hot Cup
The beginning of NaNo coincided with the dietary liquid fast my PCP prescribed. I thought, “Perfect! Less cooking equals more writing time!”
But then on the first day, when it hit that I couldn’t have my hot beverage, I was angry. Full of rage. The kind of rage that only no coffee can induce.
And the kicker is that on this diet, I wasn’t even allowed a cup of chamomile tea. Let alone something to replace the sacred space of the coffee bean.
So I had a conversation with myself. And I sat down to write. And the first few days, it was incredibly difficult. I stopped every other paragraph and thought about how much better this would be with coffee. I wanted my cup of hot brown water more than anything.
The writing itself was fine. But I wasn’t.
My Savior: Rooibos Infusion
I’m a beverage snob, (like I said, barista) and I’m working on getting out of the habit of calling infusions teas. Tea is tea, infusions are infusions, and coffee has its own place of worship in my life.
Rooibos is a bush. A native African plant, a twiggy, woody and scrubby. It’s one of the only infusions that compares with a cup of coffee or tea. Rooibos is full bodied yet has a subtle flavor that blends with any kind of cream or sweeter. No caffeine and tons of health benefits.
Thankfully, the fast is over and I’m back on (some) food. Rooibos is my new writing companion for the moment.
I’m grateful for the Rooibos and it’s deep, grounding earthiness. The way it warms my perpetually cold fingers and makes it easier to type. The manner in which it sits in my mug and says “I know I’m not what you want, but I’m enough.”
Day by day, I will work myself back up to coffee, but if I don’t have my health I certainly can’t write.
Word Counts and Caffeine
Like most things in life, I got over the initial rage after the first 3 days of NaNo. I can’t say I’ve gotten over craving a cup of coffee.
It occurred to me that I shouldn’t base my ability to write on my ability to consume caffeine. While I fully intend to keep full-caff coffee as my writing companion, I’m also going to be mindful about how the habit impacts my ability to write, as well as my enjoyment of writing.
I’m right on track for NaNo. The old adage “writers write” comes to mind.
Not being able to drink coffee would have been a great excuse not to put my 1,600 in every day, but I’m not into excuses. I’ve been churning out solid daily counts because I love NaNoWriMo and that’s what I do.
For now, the only perfect pairing I need to write is me and my hands.
☄. *. ⋆
Oh wow did you read to the end? You’re actually the best, thankyousomuch!
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Borahae, much love, be well!