Getting sick. It is bound to happen, even to the mightiest of indie authors. Even if you take care of yourself, do all the right things, and eat everything you should, it is more than likely going to happen to you. And, no matter how much you love writing, it will probably take you out of commission for a little bit. So today we are going to talk about what you can do to mitigate the impact being sick will have.
Make a Plan (Or Two)
Just like any endeavour, you will be most efficient when you make a plan. While you may have planned your routines from week to week, that old plan gets thrown out the window when you get sick. If you feel like you are going to be under the weather for a few days, plan out what you can realistically do in those few days.
Your planning does not end when you recover, though. It will be tough to simply hop back into the swing of things once your routine has been disrupted. It is best to make a second plan that outlines how you are going to recover after the recovery. Detail what you want to accomplish, and by when. This will help expedite the path back to your normal routine.
Do Some Research
No matter what your genre, your book will need some research. Even when you think you have done enough research, take your bed- or couch-ridden time to delve even deeper. You will be surprised with what you might find for your work, what depth you might add.
Maybe you think that your current work in progress is researched to death. First of all, you’re probably wrong. But if you think you have reached that limit, then do some researching for your next book! It is not a taxing activity, nor will it have a negative impact if your research is a little lack-lustre because of your sick, exhausted state. Whichever work you research for, it is a worthwhile way to pass the time in a productive manner.
Read
One of the best ways to refine your craft is to immerse yourself in the work of others. That, and I bet you love reading. Give yourself some relaxing time while also doing some pseudo-research.
While you are enjoying yourself, you really should be making mental notes about different writing techniques, what works and doesn’t work, and what you might be able to take away for your own work. Especially if you are reading a book by an indie author, look for tics that might be common among indie works and see if you should correct those same errors in your work.
Work on Your Author Platform
If you are feeling up to it, use your relaxing time to refine your platform. This means updating your website and your social media platforms, communicating with your base and your network, and just generally refining the public image that you are portraying on the internet.
Maybe you aren’t sure how to update your author platform? Take some of your recovery time to do some research on how to improve your platform. There are countless blogs out there that you can look to for ideas and professional tips for building your platform.
Get Some Rest
This one is not author-specific, but it should be common sense. While there are a handful of things that you can do while you are sick, you shouldn’t overwork yourself. You need to get your R&R, so make sure to wear your comfy clothes and drink lots of fluids. Get yourself back to tip-top shape again so you can keep up the great work you have been doing.
To wrap this blog up, I want to apologize for the absence I have had lately. I had to take a week off because of an illness, and then had to pack up all my things and moved houses with pretty short notice. So look out for a few bonus blogs in October to make up for it.
In the comments, be sure to let me know how you deal with being sick and how you keep your author game going. And tell us what kind of bonus blogs you would like to see this month. This isn’t just about what I want to write, but what will help all the indie authors out there.
Thanks to everyone for their patience during my time away, I will see you next time.