Y'know, it's all well and good being a full time writer -- dream come true, and all that good stuff -- but I'm here to tell you it's not entirely a bed of roses. Or a pair of Size 12 jeans (this is Australia -- Size 12 is slim, trust me).  Because, really, at the end of the day, we sit around on our arses for hours on end in front of a computer. And while that means I've got extremely nimble fingers, the whole fitness thing otherwise has tended to get short shrift. (BTW, do you know that the term 'short shrift'  originates from plague times, when priests hurried through the last rites -- where you get shriven -- because there were so many people to be seen on their death beds? Cool, eh?)

Anyhow.

Once upon  a time I was slim and fit, running 50 miles a week. And then things happened, then more things happened and, well, let's just say that's not the case anymore. Some of it's the result of having had chronic fatigue syndrome for nearly seven years, and some of it's because I stopped with the whole having horses routine, and some of it's because sometimes it's easier to watch a dvd than work out. And now I find myself, yet again, despairing about the physical state of me and making myself promises to do something about it.

It really is important for a writer to stay physically fit. Full-time dramatic writing is unexpectedly taxing on the body -- if you're not careful you can end up with back trouble, and shoulder trouble, and neck trouble. Posture issues. And exercise does one very important thing -- it oxygenates the blood, and high oxygen levels for the brain are a good thing, especially when you're a writer. Also, being fit, being active, keeps you in touch with your body and how it operates and that's also very useful for a writer, because we need to stay in touch with the physical world as well as the mental world so our writing stays vivid and grounded in reality. When we're fit we think better, and thinking is a writer's entire modus operandi.

And yes, while I know all this, I'm not always very good at taking my own advice. Partly it's because I get swamped with deadlines then I feel bad taking the time to workout. This is called not having my shit sufficiently together. And partly because the whole chronic fatigue thing has left me gun shy -- it's so easy for me to overdo things physically then get sick, and be knocked down for a while and have to start from scratch again. It's discouraging. But I really am working on it, and I'm taking it steady.

I turned one room of my house into a mini-gym. I have a treadmill, and an elliptical machine, and I have a big tv with a dvd player hooked up to it. And after reminding myself  in NYC that I can in fact do a decent amount of sensible walking without doing myself damage, that's what I'm doing.  7 kms a day, 6 days a week. And I'm feeling good, too. Also not stuffing my face with processed foods -- another downfall. Sigh. The Mayans should never have discovered chocolate. It's all their fault.

And what has this to do with writing, you ask???? Well, funnily enough, there is a point. Aside from the whole being fit to write is very important thing, that is. Currently I'm walking my way through 2 eps a morning of Supernatural, from the first season, and also watching the deleted scenes. And often they're cutting and/or tweaking scenes, and they include them on the dvd, and you can see the storytelling decisions that are being made. It's another example of how educational drama on dvd can be, for a writer. (No, I am not trying to justify the watching of the dvds, thank you very much!).

The other thing I'm realising as I'm watching from the beginning is how the overarcing story is being crafted. Well ... actually, it's one of two things. Either a lot of seeds were being planted from the get go, or the writers have gone back and picked up on throwaway lines/moments and built them into major story points now that we're  into season 4. I suspect it might be a combination of both. Some stuff was always intended, and some things have grown organically from the creative process -- which is partly what makes it so much fun. Because it is fun, even when it's killing you.

This is an important point to note, for writers who are doing either an open-ended series ie a PI crime series or a closed series ie a trilogy. It's the set up, and then the pay off. It's the stuff your subconscious is throwing out there, that you can pick up on down the track. And when you do that well, it's so cool for the audience. But so often, when you're in the throes of just getting the work done, all this kind of reflective, analytical, from the outside looking in thinking about writing can get left behind ... to the work's detriment. So I'm thinking I'm doing two important things at once: shifting the fat arse and continuing my ongoing education in the art and craft of writing.

I have so much stuff on dvd, some new, some I haven't watched in a while. As I attempt to make myself stick to an exercise program long term, at last, so I can get back into my Size 12 jeans and not close my eyes as I pass a mirror,  I'm also giving my brain the time and space to ponder sticky writing problems and how they can be solved. Watching how someone else is telling  a story is fun and its instructional and inspirational.

And how, having done my 7 kms and eaten breakfast and washed the dishes, I'm about to throw myself back into the fire. I'll keep you posted!