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Are you falling apart from
fatigue as a go-getter? Deadlines,
contests, jobs, families, and even volunteer commitments pull a writer
from every side. What do you do when the many hours in front of a
computer take their toll on your weary eyes and cause headaches? But
you’re not a quitter! After all, your kids are watching. So what do you
do?
Ask your ACFW peers.
What do you do
when the many hours in front of a computer take their toll?
Margaret Brownley:
Put your monitor brightness at 25 and your contrast at 75. That sure
made a difference for me.
Kristin Billerbeck:
I found that plain eyeglasses with no
prescription helped my eyestrain. I’m very sensitive to see the
flickering of the screen. You can buy fake glasses at Michaels for $3,
so it’s worth a try.
Nikki Arana:
I had this problem when I was under a deadline
and in front of the computer ten hours a day. The version of Word I had
let me change the background color of the screen to light blue. So you
are reading your ms (manuscript) on a light blue background. It solved
my problem.
Angie’s note: It doesn’t change
the way your page will print, just
the view on screen. Click on Format, then on Background (if you have
Word 2007, go to Page Layout and click on Page Color). This should
bring up a palette of choices. Try a few to find your favorite or click
More Colors and use the palette color wheel. I’m currently trying
lavender!
Mary Hake:
I’ve heard to look at something in the distance,
like out a window, every half hour. You could set a timer to remind
you. It’s also a good time to stand and stretch.
Dorothy Clark:
I had a physical therapist tell me to place
your monitor so your eyes naturally focus on the bottom quarter of your
screen. That way you don’t have to tip your head and bend your neck
into an unnatural position.
Angie’s note: A small wire plate
stand from any hardware store adds
air circulation for your laptop while raising it to protect your neck
and thereby avoiding headaches.
ACFW members reach out to one
another in compassionate support by
offering ideas to help meet deadlines, answer expert questions, build
writing knowledge, manage eyestrain, and encourage during tough times.
Do you belong to a group like this, where people understand what you’re
going through? The strength in a common vision is astounding. One plus
one isn’t two, it’s exponential with those of similar mind-sets,
especially when you think about the next generation. Those who strive
for their goals are living examples of daily wisdom. Are you showing
your children and grandchildren that dreams are a worthwhile pursuit?
Are you modeling that helping others is desirable and fun? Do you share
failures as a stepping-stone to success?
As I look back on two years of
volunteer service, I see phenomenal
growth in our organization. ACFW is expanding into an amazing force in
the publishing industry—a force that helps authors and industry
professionals work together to build a stronger future and share the
stories God places on our hearts. Though I will miss serving in the
capacity of publicity officer, it’s been a memorable experience. Now my
writing and speaking will again become a priority. The future adventure
is yet to be written. But I won’t be on that journey alone. Being a
part of ACFW enables me to join forces with friends who will push me to
continue toward my goals, build bigger dreams, and share ideas like
those in this article. Together we can be living examples. We can
create a legacy of goal-getters, not just go-getters.
Here’s another idea: Put ACFW
membership on your Christmas list or
give it as a gift to someone who dreams of writing. Watch out, though!
You may create a legacy of goal-getters—an exponential legacy.
***
Do you know about the public
side of American Christian Fiction Writers?
Website: www.acfw.com
Afictionado:
http://www.acfw.com/ezine
(ACFW’s monthly e-zine) now has social networking buttons to tweet,
e-mail, and facebook each article
Fictionfinder:
(http://www.fictionfinder.com)
helps you find the book you want, the content rating, reviews, and all
genres in Christian fiction. If you haven’t checked it out yet, it’s a
must!
Facebook:
ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers)
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=140159705327
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ACFWTweets
Blog: (http://www.acfw.com/blog)
Go through the archives of the blog and find tons of guest posts by
your favorite authors.
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