Technically, I have written this year, just not much. It’s been very frustrating too. I’ll open one of three files I’m working on, and the words won’t come. Why?
The Problems
- Because my prescription thyroid medicine – the kind I was so excited to finally get – caused my blood pressure to shoot up into the high range. And so, in an effort to avoid medication for that, I stopped taking my Armour Thyroid at the end of August. I know it works really well for some people, but I am not one of those people. And so I’ve been more exhausted than I normally am.
- The new puppies… Much as I love them, their incessant barking at Jack and the cats in December made an already troublesome, long-term case of insomnia worse – and it hasn’t improved since. At this point, I feel fortunate to get four or five hours sleep at a time, and it’s often closer to three.
If I were a kitten, the one in front would be me.
- Kindle Unlimited. While I understand Mr. Bezos has to do what’s best for Amazon, K.U. is not author-friendly. First, it means we aren’t allowed to sell books anywhere but on Amazon. And second, many authors have seen a substantial drop in sales and income – except those who churn out five and ten-thousand word novelettes. Yes, K.U. pays the same for short stories as they do for full-length novels. And as I’ve found from sad experience, pulling books out of the program makes you pretty much invisible on Amazon. So it’s the whole rock and hard place scenario. It’s hard to find motivation when you’re penalized no matter which direction you turn.
The Solutions
- Since I’ve shared my thyroid and gluten-free journey on this blog, I went back through old posts to find the ones where I’d written that something was helping. So I tweaked my supplements, adding back in a few I’d forgotten to take during the initial chaos of having new puppies in the house. And I’m starting to feel like a human being again.
- After my grandbaby arrives, I’ll start taking melatonin again. I hate being ‘drugged,’ but it does help me sleep better – and when I feel well-rested, it’s a lot easier to write. Why am I waiting? Because it’s an almost two hour drive to the hospital – and I refuse to drive while impaired. Until then, I’m just napping when I need to. Even if it’s twice a day instead of once, like I had been doing.
- There is nothing I can do about Kindle Unlimited, but I’m trying to not panic and put all of my books back in again. I want them available to all online bookstores, not just Amazon. I’m also working hard to get my thyroid and insomnia under control so I feel good enough to spend several hours a day writing again. Continuing to publish more books is the only way to balance everything out there.
So now you know what the problems have been – and what I’m doing to resolve them. And I’m going to go out on a limb to say the first book in my new western series will be released in June. This is a tentative prediction, not set in stone, but I’m confident I can ‘get ‘er done.’
Good luck on all three points. I like that you have ways to overcome the problems. Too often people complain but then have nothing they are willing to try in order to overcome them. I love that you are the type for looks for solutions. I hope these all work out well for you. *fingers crossed*
Thanks, Ruth Ann. LOL…I am always looking for solutions for one thing or another. I’m not much into just accepting the status quo. 🙂
Kristy, I hear ya girl. I haven’t written much this year either with all the chaos going on in my household. Moving stinks! I would be the kitty in the front too. Have you tried to take iodine for your thyroid issues since you have a problem with Armour? Just wondering. Sometimes that helps. And how much magnesium do you take? Magnesium is so wonderful for the nervous system and helps you sleep. You’ve been under stress and that throws everything off. And if you haven’t been sleep well for a long time, you may need to take something to support your adrenals. Have them checked out if you haven’t already. Take care my friend. It’s a challenge these days to stay vertical. ((Hugs))
Hi, Karen. I sure don’t envy you the move. It’s been seven years since buying this house and I still hate remembering what a pain that was!
I have tried iodine, yes, but it makes me feel weird. The new thyroid supplement I’m on does have some. So between that and my multi, I’m getting about 650 mcg a day. And I take magnesium twice a day – maybe 400 mg total. Maybe that’s not enough?
For the adrenals, I was doing Gaia Adrenal Support twice a day since October, plus plenty of vitamin C (which actually helps the energy levels). I’m also finding that bovine colostrum helps a lot, along with taking 200 mcg of selenium every day. Of course, there’s 70 mcg in the multi and you’re supposed to limit it to 200… One of these days I may wind up saying the heck with the multi and just doing all of the vitamins individually.
Hope you start feeling better soon too. I can totally relate to the challenge of staying vertical. Hugs! 🙂