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The Healthy Writer: Reduce your pain, improve your health, and build a writing career for the long term (Books for Writers Book 8) by [Joanna Penn, Euan Lawson]

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Euan Lawson

Joanna Penn

The Healthy Writer: Reduce your pain, improve your health, and build a writing career for the long term (Books for Writers Book 8) Kindle Edition

by Joanna Penn (Author), Euan Lawson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

68 ratings

Book 8 of 14: Books for Writers

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Do you suffer from physical pain relating to your writing life?

Are you struggling with back pain, weight gain related to sedentary working, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, neck pain, eye strain, stress, loneliness, digestive issues, or Repetitive Strain Injury?

These are the most common issues reported by writers and if you struggle with any of them, you are not alone.

Writing is not a physically healthy job, but if you want a long-term writing career, then you need to look after your body.

I've been through my own pain journey over the last six years. I used to get crippling migraines that sent me to a dark room, and back pain so bad that I couldn't sleep, as well as stress levels so high that I wasn't able to breathe normally.

Now, my back pain, migraines and RSI have almost gone completely, and I manage my writing life in a far healthier way than ever before. I share my personal journey and insights with you in this book.

My co-author is Dr Euan Lawson, who shares his insights into how we can reduce pain, improve health and build a writing career for the long term.

The book covers:

Introduction and survey results from 1200 writers
7 Reasons why writing is great for your health

>>> Part 1: The Unhealthy Writer

Stress, anxiety, burnout
Back, neck and shoulder pain
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
A personal journey to a pain-free back
Writing with chronic pain
Sedentary life and inactivity
Sleep problems/ insomnia
Eye strain, headaches, and migraine
A personal story of headaches and migraine
Loneliness and isolation
Weight gain or weight loss
Joanna's Letter to Sugar
Digestive issues and IBS
A personal journey through IBS with FODMAP
Mood and mental health
Riding the Waves: Writing with depression
Alcohol - the good, the bad, and the ugly
Coffee and caffeine
Supplements, substances, and nootropics

>>> Part 2: The Healthy Writer

Improve your workspace
Sort out your sleep
Sort out your diet
From fat to fit
Sort out your back
Lessons learned about writing from yoga
How to use dictation for a healthier writing life
The active writer mindset
Strategies for the sofa-bound
The active writer: Three golden rules
The running writer: Three rookie mistakes
Lessons learned about writing from walking a double ultra-marathon
Find a community
Build wellbeing with mindfulness
Develop healthy habits for the long-term
Conclusion: It's your turn. Choose life.

It's time to be a healthy writer!

Print length

332 pages
Language

English
Publication date

December 28, 2017
File size

892 KB
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joanna Penn is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers under J.F.Penn and also writes non-fiction for authors. She's also a podcaster and an award-winning creative entrepreneur. Her site, TheCreativePenn.com has been voted in the Top 100 sites for writers by Writer's Digest.

Euan Lawson is a British medical doctor and a Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners. He's ex-British Army and enjoys fell running. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0763XLK24
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Curl Up Press (December 28, 2017)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 28, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 892 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 332 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #636,947 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #145 in Work-Related Health
- #171 in Nonfiction Writing Reference
- #234 in Fiction Writing Reference (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
68 ratings

About the authors

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Euan Lawson
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Euan Lawson is an ex-British Army doctor and a Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners. He has an interest in addictions and he writes regularly on healthy habits. Euan lives in Cumbria, England with his wife and three children. He likes to get his fix of the outdoors by running across the fells with his sprocker spaniel, Minnie.
Connect with Euan at his website: www.euanlawson.com and download your FREE Healthy Bloke Action Plan. Or send a message on Twitter @euan_lawson.
While he can run up a hill or two and enjoy a triathlon, he is contentedly resigned to the fact that the words chiseled and buff will never be used to describe him. He still eats too many crisps. Not everything in life can be subjected to a randomized controlled trial but he likes to take an evidence-based approach to health. He is keen to help normal men get a little fitter and live a happier, healthier life.
See more on the author's page
Joanna Penn
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Joanna Penn is a bestselling author, international speaker and award-winning entrepreneur based in Bath, England.
Her site, www.TheCreativePenn.com helps authors with creativity, writing, publishing, book marketing and creative entrepreneurship. It has been voted one of the top 100 sites for authors by Writers Digest. Joanna has a popular podcast, The Creative Penn, and a YouTube Channel.
You can get a free Author 2.0 Blueprint ebook and video series at www.TheCreativePenn.com/blueprint
You can also connect with Joanna on Twitter @thecreativepenn
and on Facebook.com/TheCreativePenn
Joanna is a travel junkie, weaving her adventures into her Award-nominated, bestselling thrillers as J.F.Penn and podcasting at www.BooksAndTravel.page
She's a cat person and enjoys a nice G&T.
Joanna has a Masters in Theology from the University of Oxford, Mansfield College, and a post-graduate diploma in Psychology from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. She spent 13 years in the corporate world before breaking out to become a full-time author-entrepreneur in 2011.
Her bestselling self-help books for writers and authors include:
Successful Self-Publishing: How to self-publish an ebook and print book
How to Market a Book
How to Make a Living with your Writing - listed as one of INC magazine top business books 2015
The Successful Author Mindset: A Handbook for Surviving the Writer's Journey
Audio for Authors: Audiobooks, Podcasting and Voice Technologies
Productivity for Authors
Business for Authors: How to be an Author Entrepreneur
Public Speaking for Authors, Creatives and Other Introverts
Co-writing a Book: Collaboration and Co-Creation for Writers - co-written with J. Thorn
The Healthy Writer: Reduce your Pain, Improve your Health, and Build a Writing Career for the Long-term - co-written with Dr Euan Lawson
Career Change: Stop Hating your Job, Discover what you Really Want to Do with your Life, and Start Doing It!
See more on the author's page

Customer reviews

5 star		69%
4 star		15%
3 star		11%
2 star		2%
1 star		3%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Mr. Army Wife

Good information for writers or anyone who sits in front of a screen all day

Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2022

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I Picked up this book after listening to one of the authors on a podcast. It is very informative about issues that plague writers or many other professions where sitting and staring at screens for long hours are the norm. What I really liked is that the writers take from their own experiences, but also take from the experiences of many others who are surveyed about various physical and mental ailments.

This isn't a simple diet and exercise book. Even though one of the authors is a doctor, they are quick to point out that this point is about finding ways to alleviate and eliminate issues that stem from being a writer. It's not a health plan, and shouldn't be substituted for regular medical advice from your own physician. However, I do think a lot of would be a lot better off following some of the simple suggestions. Eat less, Move More for example.

Overall I liked this book but felt a lot of it didn't apply to me. I'm sure a significant amount didn't apply to the authors either, they were just being thorough and there is nothing wrong with that.

Helpful

Nancy O'Toole

An Informative Overview of the Common Health Problems Facing Writers Every Day

Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2018

Verified Purchase

The Healthy Writer, by Joanna Penn and Dr. Euan Lawson is all about health-related problems that writers can face. This runs the gamut from physical ailments such as eyestrain and weight gain, to more psychological issues including loneliness and depression.

As a writer myself, I know I found a lot of these topics to be incredibly relatable. Back pain? Not getting enough exercise? I’ve so been there. And so have many others. One of my favorite parts of the book is all the personal stories it contains. While writing The Healthy Writer, the authors sent out a survey asking people to share their personal health struggles and triumphs. The book then intersplices quotes from this survey throughout each chapter. Reading through these experiences, as well as Joanna and Euan’s own personal narratives, really made me feel as if I wasn’t alone.

The Healthy Writer, as you may have guessed from the wide variety of subjects covered, is more of a general overview than a deep dive into specific topics. Yes, certain chapters, such as the one on setting up your workstation to prevent RSI, do go into more detail. But others provide more general advice, such as trying out yoga to treat back pain. This means that if you have a specific problem you’re looking to tackle, you may need to look further than just this book (maybe even to your doctor). The writers do make sure to provide further resources in each chapter, from books to smart phone aps.

In addition, because this is an overview, a lot of advice presented here can feel pretty obvious. But given the amount of people (myself included) that need to eat healthier, and spend more time moving, I don’t think that retreading the basics is necessarily a bad idea.

More than anything else, The Healthy Writer is a good wake up call, a gentle reminder that while we may spend most of our time in our own heads, creating stories and writing words, that our bodies are important too. And it’s only by taking care of ourselves can we hope to have a long and happy career.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Kate M. Colby

Finally - a health-focused book just for writers!

Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2018

Verified Purchase

As always, Joanna Penn (this time with co-writer Dr. Euan Lawson) has delivered an informative, helpful, and inspiring book for authors. While much of the health advice inside is either common sense or information that writers likely have heard before, Penn and Dr. Lawson explain the medical aspects clearly, share anecdotes from their own health journeys, and offer simple, actionable advice that applies specifically to writers. Beyond physical health, they also dive into emotional and psychological well-being, which are so often overlooked by similar books. After reading The Healthy Writer, I feel less alone with some of my health concerns and have the tools I need to improve my writing workspace and develop healthier habits. Recommended for fans of Penn's other nonfiction titles and for any writer (or even individuals in office jobs) who have felt the negative physical/emotional effects of a sedentary career and want to improve their health.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

MMF

Informative and easy read. Every writer should own as a reference.

Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2018

Verified Purchase

Joanna Penn and Dr. Lawson do a great job of discussing the difficulties and negative consequences of hours spent writing. While they start the book off with the positives a writing career can offer one's health, the bulk of the book addresses the mental and physical challenges. The chapter headings make it easy to find chapters addressing particular concerns (gaining weight, repetitive use injury, etc.), Many of the chapters end with questions so a reader can assess how they are doing in specific areas. Many chapters also end with a listing of resources related to the topic covered. It's a practical book and really one every writer, or anyone who spends hours on a computer, should own as a reference. But it's also a pleasant read written in an informal, informative style. As a writer, I've thought of many of the issues covered in The Healthy Writer. Reading Joanna Penn's and Euan Lawson's take on it let me know I'm not alone and outlined what might be helpful.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Kate Gordon

Commonsense that we need to hear

Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2018

Verified Purchase

In many ways there's nothing earth-shattering in this book from Joanna Penn and Euan Lawson, but that doesn't mean I didn't need to read it and - most importantly - take action!
For many of us, writing means sitting on our backside for hours. It's simply not good for us - physically or mentally. My hips are aching as I write this because I've been writing in bed on my laptop for a couple of hours, so getting up and MOVING is going to help me in so many ways.
That's the simple and important message that Euan and Joanna share. They each move in different ways, and they urge us to find the ways that we like to move. The benefits to their writing and creativity are inspiring to read. I know it, I've experienced it and now I just need to put it into practice on a regular basis. Do I want to be an aching, overweight writer for the rest of my life? No, I do not. And this book helps with many resources and ideas to help me be the healthiest and most productive writer I can. Time to move!

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Kev Partner

Superb guide to being healthy as an author - should be on every writer's bookshelf

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 4, 2018

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This could so easily have been a bland, holier-than-thou kind of book begging to be skim-read and never looked at again. What makes it a cut above the rest is that both authors, but particularly Joanna, are candid about their own various struggles with being healthy and neither claims to be a paragon now.
Joanna Penn is a successful writer of both fiction and non-fiction having been a pioneer of indie publishing. As I read her very personal accounts of her health struggles, and those of her husband (who also deserves thanks and praise for allowing his experience to be included), I felt that what the book has to say resonated so much more with me. Her "Letter to Sugar" brought a lump to the throat of even cynical old me - and very little gets through my defences!
Euan Lawson, British GP and co-author, is a refreshingly open kind of a doctor - he readily accepts that science doesn't yet have all the answers, particularly when it comes to diet (except when it comes to sugar).
The book begins by setting the scene - looking at all the reasons why writing is good for us and then listing the challenges. Euan's description of back pain hit a chord with me and Joanna's account of her challenges with food also hit the nail on the head. The second part of the book gives practical suggestions for counteracting the sedentary life. As they acknowledge, this isn't rocket science, but it's very useful to see it applied specifically to writers and to have it all together. My only criticism is that I felt the book could have been longer - I got to the end of some of the chapters wanting to know more. There are links for further reading, but I was enjoying the way the information was being presented and could have done with a little more depth.
Overall, though, the book is wonderful - not least because it helps reassure me that the struggles I have with exercise and diet (in particular) are common and also that the actions I'd already taken (standing desk, more walking, cutting carbs) are the right ones.
This should be read by anyone embarking on a career in writing - or any desk job.

3 people found this helpful

Harry

A fair amount of useful information and resources for any writer who is taking their business seriously.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 23, 2018

Verified Purchase

Sometimes, we need to be told things that we already know in a new way, so that we realise the importance of those things – and feel empowered to take action.

That is what I love about Joanna Penn’s books on the craft of writing – she always manages to put things in perspective in such a way that I feel capable and confident in my own ability to accomplish something by the end of the book. Her words arm you for the journey ahead.

And this one is no exception. The Healthy Writer doesn’t have much to offer in the way of new information. Most of the advice in here is stuff that you’re likely to have heard before in some form; but Joanna frames the advice in a way that makes it click, makes it seem much more reasonable.

Joanna’s anecdotal entries mixed with the more knowledgable voice of Dr. Euan Lawson makes for a good combination, as the book isn’t overloaded with just tedious medical information or just the personal experiences of one author, but instead the perfect mix of both.

I wouldn’t say this book is anything exceptional in the field of healthcare or writing, or even that it’s an essential read for every writer. But if you are a writer who feels bogged down by the health issues discussed in this book and you want to improve your quality of life and the sustainability of your business, but you don’t know where to start, then this could definitely be helpful to you.

T.L. Dyer

Healthy body, healthy mind, healthy career!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 7, 2018

Verified Purchase

I'm in the early stages of my writing career, and whilst I don't have any significant health problems, I was aware of a few niggling aspects of my lifestyle that could potentially become problematic to my health over time. In light of this, I ordered Joanna and Euan's book half expecting that it wouldn't really relate to me that much. But I was wrong! A wonderfully easy-to-read book, I actually couldn't put down until I'd finished (which is unusual for me and non-fiction). Whilst chronic pain is discussed and is relevant only to those who suffer with it, there were so many other issues of health which we are all likely to have had - or will have - if we live and work long-term at a job that is considered sedentary/desk-bound. I recognised a number of potential pitfalls I could find myself falling into if I don't pay attention to the way I work and how that could have an impact on my health eventually. Writing is a lifestyle as much as a job (we do it because we love it) - and Joanna and Euan offer loads of great advice and suggestions on how to maintain your health so that you can carry on doing what you love.

Lovesreading

Even better than expected

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 28, 2017

Verified Purchase

Joanna's books never let you down, and this is even better than I anticipated. Because it is aimed specifically at writers, there's no timewasting and unrealistic approaches or solutions. The collaboration works brilliantly for the advice, including questions and resources at the end of each section. I wish I'd had this book when I started out, but I will definitely be making good use of it the coming year.

2 people found this helpful

Daniel HY Ng

A book full of nutrients in it!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2021

Verified Purchase

A well-written book from a writer's and a doctor's perspective. The 2 distinctive voices have made a perfect combination for this book. Learned a lot of new stuffs from their suggestions. Well worth it!