Writing

The Season of Hibernation is Upon Us

Posted on October 16, 2022 by Lisa Orchard

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a busy week of work and writing. It grew too cold to run outside this week, so I have to bite the bullet and either join a gym or get an exercise bike. I’m leaning toward the gym. I want to keep running. I can’t run on the treadmill any longer, I’m afraid of messing up my back again.

Writing, The Season of Hibernation is Upon Us, Lisa Orchard — https://allthefreestock.com/

But enough about that. Today, I’d like to talk about hibernation. That’s right. The season’s changing and the weather Gods are predicting snow in the upper peninsula this Tuesday. I am not ready for winter. It doesn’t feel like we’ve even had a fall.

hibernation, the season of hibernation is upon us, Lisa Orchard, bear — https://allthefreestock.com/

I can tell the season has started to change. I’m more tired than I usually am. I think this is probably due to the fact there is less sunlight available right now. I’m also craving carbs. Ugh. This is the hardest to fight. I haven’t met a carb I didn’t like. I believe this is all part of my body saying it’s time to slow down and hibernate. It wants me to eat more carbs to fatten me up for my long winter’s sleep.

potatoes, carbs, carbohydrates, The Season of Hibernation is Upon Us, Lisa Orchard, Hibernate — https://allthefreestock.com/

That’s how I know we humans were also supposed to hibernate. Why else would I be feeling this way and having those horrible carb cravings after months of eating low carb?

We’re supposed to hibernate during the winter so our bodies can renew, and our brains can rejuvenate. I bet our metabolism slows down in the winter. I don’t have any evidence of this, but it just stands to reason that it would. That’s why we gain weight during the snowy season.

So, if you find yourself slowing down this winter. It’s okay. Give yourself permission to do it. It’s the natural course of things.

Bear, Hibernation, Sleep, The Season of Hibernation is Upon Us, Lisa Orchard — https://allthefreestock.com/

Below is a list of some of the things I’m going to do this winter while I hibernate:

Write: I plan on finishing the novel I’m working on now and pulling apart the one I finished and putting it back together, so it’s a stronger story.

Exercise: I plan on keeping up on my exercise routine, so I can keep that winter weight off.

Read: I plan on reading a lot this winter to keep away the winter blues and hone my craft.

Bingewatch Netflix: This one I do during the winter when it’s too cold to go outside and I’m to tired to write, but I’m not ready for bed.

Maintain my low-carb regime: This will help me combat that winter weight that always seems to creep on.

How about you? What do you plan to do during your season of hibernation? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you! Thanks for stopping by and reading my post.

Health, mental-health, Writing

Maintaining Balance

Posted on October 2, 2022 by Lisa Orchard

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a busy week of writing, work, and kids. My new WIP is going strong and I’m looking forward to the finished product. 😊

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But enough about that. Today, I want to talk about keeping the balance in your life. It’s hard when you’re juggling family, work, friends, maintaining your health, and writing. I find when I’m in the zone (writing) I have a tendency to not eat as healthy as I normally would, and I have no problem skipping a run or workout to move my story forward.

Balance, Maintaining Balance, Lisa Orchard — https://allthefreestock.com/

But this response to my writing isn’t good for my health. I can’t skip too many runs, or I’ll start gaining weight, and we all know it’s easier to eat junk food instead of taking the time to prepare a healthy meal, and that leads to weight gain, too. When I catch myself falling into this routine, I have to force myself to take the time to run and prepare healthy meals.

Running, Maintaining Balance, Exercise, Lisa Orchard — https://allthefreestock.com/

I used to struggle with this, but I’ve been able to maintain my routine by establishing writing goals. I set a goal for one thousand words a day. So, when I reach one thousand words then I know it’s time to go for my run or start dinner. 😊

It satisfies the urge I have to write without being destructive to my health. I have time to exercise and prepare healthy meals. I must say this type of routine has been working wonders for me. I’ve been able to lose weight and keep it off. I’m excited about that. The exercise is a great mood booster and helps with my creativity as well.

Healthy meal, Maintaining Balance, Lisa Orchard — https://allthefreestock.com/

So, that’s how I maintain my balance, by setting realistic goals with my writing and exercise routines. How about you? How do you maintain your balance? Leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.

Reading, Writing

The Importance of Fiction

Posted on August 14, 2022 by Lisa Orchard

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a busy week at work. I went to a writing conference this weekend and it was a good one. I got some feedback on my story and met some other authors who I was able to talk shop with.

While I was there, I started thinking about the importance of fiction. Why are stories important? There are many reasons, but I’m only going to explore a few of them.

One reason is because they allow us to learn about a particular situation without having to experience it. This teaches us empathy. Many therapists use stories to get their point across to their clients because it lowers their defenses, and they actually listen to what the therapist is trying to illustrate with the story.

The leads to a deeper understanding of what people experience and how they react to these experiences. This is the most important reason for writing stories.

Stories are a great way to connect, too. Right now, connection seems scarce. After the pandemic, many companies have decided their employees will work from home permanently. So, we don’t get the in-person connection we humans need. When we meet with people face to face, we share stories about our experiences. This verbal storytelling is a sharing of our soul with another human. We’re connecting. Reading is another form of connection. It allows us to connect with characters and flex our empathy muscle. So, with all the remote working and social distancing going on, reading fiction is more important than ever.

Another reason fiction is important is because reading is a stress reliever. Life is incredibly stressful right now. What with all this political unrest, mass shootings, and inflation, stress is at an all time high. Reading fiction for only fifteen minutes a day can reduce your stress level by 68%. That is huge.

People need good stories right now. There are so many problems with our world, and many individuals just need a break from all the chaos. Stories help relieve the tension. So, writers keep writing. Keep honing your craft. Your stories are having an impact on your readers. You are making a difference.

What about you? How does reading fiction impact your life? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

Health, mental-health, Personal, Writing

Exercise: An excellent way to combat Writer’s Block

Posted on July 30, 2022 by Lisa Orchard

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a busy week at work. I’m still noodling an idea for another story and sending queries. I’m also running to stay in shape, and I got to tell you there’s nothing like that runner’s high. When I run in the morning before work, I have a better mental attitude throughout the day.

Exercise is important for everyone. It keeps you in shape and lowers the risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer. It’s especially important for writers because writing is such a sedentary activity. When I’m in the midst of creating a story, I could write all day. I have to force myself to take a break and exercise. I make sure and do it though because it also helps my writing. I’ve solved many plot holes while I’m running, and exercise keeps my creative juices flowing.

To keep me from getting bored, I also engage in Yoga and Hiking. Both provide not only physical benefits, but emotional ones as well. Yoga is a great way to focus on yourself. It brings me clarity when I’m dealing with complicated issues. I’m allowed to focus on my needs and find solutions to difficult dynamics. Sometimes we run into issues with family members, and we have to be creative to solve problems that arise.

Hiking is another terrific way to exercise. It’s also a great stress reliever, too. I’ve also found that when I’m writing, if I take time out for a hike through the woods or the beach, I solve plot holes and come up with creative stories. Noodling ideas in the woods is an excellent way to improve a great story.

So, if your stuck in a story and not sure how to move it forward. Step away from your work and go for a run or a hike. I guarantee you’ll either solve your problem while you’re exercising, or you’ll feel better about your story, and you’ll come back to it with a fresh attitude and solve it that way.

How about you? How do you deal with your writing when you’re stuck? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

Personal, Writing

Do you have Grit?

Posted on June 12, 2022 by Lisa Orchard

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after an exciting week of work and the wedding of my nephew. It was a beautiful wedding, and it was so good to see members of my family that I haven’t seen in a while. My boys were able to hang out with their cousins which is important for that family connection, and I got some awesome pictures of all the cousins together.

But enough about that. Today I want to talk about Grit. That’s right. That little extra something that everyone needs in life to succeed.

Definition via Google:

Grit: Courage and Resolve. Strength of Character.

To be great at anything you need grit. To be a professional basketball player you need it. To be a CEO you need it, and to be a great writer you need grit. If you have that strength of character, you will be able to keep going when the going gets tough. Grit means you go for the gold even though there’s no guarantee.

That’s the hardest part. To keep going when there’s no guarantee that your dreams will come true. But that’s the only way to get there isn’t it? So, like the professional basketball player you practice, and practice, and practice some more.

It’s the same with writing. You keep writing even though your story may never see the light of day. You keep writing because the story and the characters have become a part of you just like the basketball player plays because he doesn’t know anything else.

That’s where we have to be as a writer. We need to take risks and write stories that make people take notice. Maybe even write stories that make them uncomfortable. That’s where your gold is. That’s why you write. So, keep writing and build that grit muscle. You have that story in you and the only way to get it out is by putting pen to paper or fingers to your keyboard.

There are ways to develop grit. One way that I strongly recommend is to work with a mentor or writing group. People who are invested in your success. These people will help you hone your skills.

Another way to develop grit is to take classes, go to writer’s conferences, and read books. Read craft books, like Stephen King’s “On Writing.” Or “Story Engineering,” by Larry Brooks. All of these things will help you hone your craft and develop grit.

How about you?

Do you have that strength of character? The resolve to get it done at all costs? How do you develop your grit muscle? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

Personal, Writing

Synchronicity and Intuition

Posted on April 24, 2022 by Lisa Orchard

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a week of work and writing. We had a warm day today, and I made my first attempt at running outside. I’m hoping my pinched nerve doesn’t come back. So far so good. I’m hanging up the treadmill, running on that soft surface isn’t good for my spine.

But enough about that, today I’d like to talk about synchronicity and intuition. First, what is synchronicity? It is:

The simultaneous occurrence of events which appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection

I look for signs from the universe all the time because we can’t predict the future, and sometimes not knowing the outcome can be scary. Some of the signs I’ve seen are in my work life. The city or the lake where my story takes place appears in my daily life. It makes me pause and think about my story. I feel it’s the universe telling me I’m on the right path. Other times, my main character’s name will appear in odd places. I’m hoping this is a sign telling me to stick with my story. All we can do is wait and see. (Fingers crossed)

Another example is when I’m travelling to a friend’s art gallery. Her gallery is about an hour away, so I enjoy the drive because I can turn up the tunes and relax. Every single time I go, one of my favorite songs comes on the radio. Now, the first few times it happened, I just enjoyed the music, but since it has been consistently happening, I’m thinking this is a moment of synchronicity. So, what is the universe trying to tell me?

I’m not sure on that one, but I do know when I visit my friend and her gallery I leave in a great frame of mind. She’s an inspiration and I admire her greatly. Maybe it’s the universe telling me to stay connected with her. I’m not sure, but I do know it’s a sign of something.

Synchronicity and intuition go hand in hand. I trust my intuition. That gut feeling that tells me something is off. The rare times I’ve ignored my gut I’ve regretted it, and the times I followed it, even though I didn’t understand the why, I’ve learned it was the right decision.

Intuition is the the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning. You just know something isn’t right usually without any evidence. I’ve learned the hard way to trust my gut.

How about you? Do you trust your gut, or do you make decisions on cold, hard facts? Do you see synchronicity in your every-day life? Leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you.

Personal, Writing

The Writing Life…

Posted on April 3, 2022 by Lisa Orchard

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’ve had a busy week of work and writing. My neck is feeling much better and I’m thinking about getting back into my exercise routine, but I won’t be running on the treadmill. There won’t be another treadmill season in the Orchard house. In my opinion, I need to run on harder surfaces if I’m going to run. So, I’m going to have to find another form of exercise during the winter months.

But enough about that. Today, I’d like to talk about the writing life. I haven’t spoken about this in a while, so I felt that I should address it today.

Writing is a solitary endeavor. We writers create by ourselves and work with editors and beta readers to produce a viable product. It’s time consuming and takes us away from our families and friends.

Sometimes, it can be discouraging. The waiting for an acceptance or rejection of a manuscript can take a long time. It can get downright lonely.

So, it’s important to have a creative community who supports you. They don’t all have to be writers. They can be artists, or sculptors, or photographers. These people will understand your struggle. They will support you in ways your family can’t because they don’t understand. I have an artist friend who I get together maybe once or twice a month and paint with her. I’m no artist, but it’s always good to take a break and do something different. I support her art, and she supports my writing.

Another way to combat the anxiety of waiting is to start another project. Work on something else. If you do get an acceptance, you’ll be a step ahead of the game because you have another project to offer.

Still another way, is to take a break from writing all together. Spend time with your family. Go on a trip and enjoy some down time. Maybe even read. 😉

Exercise is another great way to deal with the stress of writing. Get out of the chair and move your body. Get those endorphins moving, it’ll help with the creative process. Trust me.

So, there you have it. Some ways to combat the loneliness and stress of writing. How about you, how do you deal with it? Leave a comment! I love to hear from you!

Personal, Writing

What do you do when the Burnout Bug Bites?

Posted on March 6, 2022 by Lisa Orchard

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. We were lucky yesterday and had a sixty-degree day where I was able to get out and go for a walk. My pinched nerve is still bothering me, so I was only able to go a couple of miles. Even so, it was nice to get some fresh air.

But enough about that, today I thought I’d talk about burnout. Burnout for writers or anyone really happens when you don’t pace yourself. Like a runner who sprints to early in the race, you can run out of gas. The joy you used to feel while creating your work just isn’t there, and the ideas are stagnant.

You’ve hit the wall and the only thing you can do is stop and take a break. When this happens, I have a few go-to activities that help ease the stress of burnout, because not producing something can be just as stressful as producing something, right?

I go for a run and get those endorphins going. Nothing beats a run for handling the stress of burnout.

I go for a hike. A hike through the woods is good for you mentally and physically. Forest bathing is really a thing and there’s nothing like a walk through the woods to calm the static in your head. FYI walking along the beach is just as good for you.

Reading is another way to beat burnout. Just reading for fifteen minutes reduces stress by sixty percent, and you get the added bonus of opening up your mind to new ideas. Most authors are voracious readers. It’s one way to improve your craft and beat stress all at the same time.

Get together with your creative community. I get together with mine and they’re so good at building up my confidence. We go hiking or paint. Sometimes we just go out for a bite to eat.

Shopping. Sometimes a little retail therapy is all you need to get those creative juices flowing again.

So, there you have it. Five things you can do when the burnout bug hits. How about you? What are some of the activities you do when you get bitten by the bug?

Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

Health, mental-health, Personal, Writing

Self Care: It’s a Choice

Posted on February 20, 2022 by Lisa Orchard

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. Because of the pinched nerve in my neck, I’ve been doing more editing and reading this week while I wait for my neck to heal. It’s getting much better thanks to my chiropractor, but I believe my treadmill days are over. There will no longer be treadmill season at the Orchard’s.

I’m not upset about that. I’ve always disliked running on a treadmill. But enough about that. Today, I’d like to talk about self-care. I know I’ve talked about this before, but I feel it’s important. Sometimes we get stretched too thin, and we need to take a moment and regroup.

There’s nothing wrong with that. We can’t be going full tilt all the time. I can always tell when I hit the wall. I get tired and cranky, and I don’t enjoy the things I usually enjoy.

Here are my go-to self-care activities.

Reading. I grab a good book and curl up on the couch. I do this during the winter more because it’s too cold to go outside. Did you know reading for just fifteen minutes reduces your stress level by 60%?

Exercise. Exercise is a great stress reliever, and it gets those endorphins going. Even a walk is good for you. Especially if you’re a writer and you sit at a desk all day.

Hiking. Hiking is also good for you. I love hiking in the woods, and if you hike in the woods, you get the added benefit of receiving phytoncides from the trees. In Japan, this is called forest-bathing and it’s a real thing.

Painting. I’m learning to paint, and it’s a great way to take a break. I’m still creating something, but it’s just for me, so I don’t have to worry about what anyone else thinks about it.

Yoga. Yoga is another great way to create calmness within yourself. You stretch your muscles, and you relax while becoming more aware. It’s a great feeling.

So, there you have it. Five things I do when I’m in need of some self-care. I know there are more. What do you do for self-care? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

Personal, Writing

Is a Virtual Writing Conference worth it?

Posted on February 12, 2022 by Lisa Orchard

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. Last weekend I attended a writing conference and pitched my story to some agents. I’m proud of the story I pitched, and I’m hoping to find representation soon. Cross your fingers for me.

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In other news, I ran on my treadmill and ended up pinching a nerve in my neck. I’ve been going to the chiropractor, and it’s getting better, but I may never run on the treadmill again. I’ve heard running one can mess up your back, and I’m living proof that it can. According to one of my running friends, because the treadmill is soft, not a hard surface like a road, it’s bad for your back and joints. So, I may have to find another way to exercise during the winter months. I might be getting an exercise bike. We’ll see.

But I’m not here to talk about that. I want to get back to the writing conference I attended. I enjoyed it. Agents led the sessions, so the information was pure gold. It was held virtually, so you communicated via chats. If you had a question, you’d type it in the chat and the organizer would read your question to the agent. It worked well, and it was the best we could do during a pandemic.

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I was also able to pitch my story to agents via zoom. It worked wonderfully. I was impressed by the whole thing. However, I did miss chatting with the other authors in between sessions. I missed the camaraderie. That’s the only negative I can say about the conference. I feel like I accomplished my goal, I pitched my novel and got my name out there. I also received great advice on my story. So, all in all, if you get an opportunity to go to a virtual Writing Conference, I’d say it’s worth it.