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Mental Illness and Writing: Helmet Head

I’m writing with my cat in my lap. He just refuses to leave. He’s warm and toasty and I’m able to type so it isn’t so bad. I wanted to talk a little bit more about mental illness and writing. Everyone struggles to some degree. People with mental illness and depression struggle even more.

Concentration. This can be a big problem for me. It’s sometimes super hard to concentrate on what I’m doing. Like I’m even thinking of something else right now. The cat that’s in my lap. Wondering where this is really going. I guess the best way I can explain it is writing it out.

Mental illness and depression can be described like many things. But today I’m going to explain it like this:

Mental illness is like always wearing a helmet, and never being able to take it off. Sometimes the helmet gets so heavy, it’s hard to even hold my head up. Or the helmet gets tight, squeezes my thoughts into the center, causes stabbing headaches.

Sometimes the helmet exhausts fumes in my mind and body. It comes out of nowhere and I’m instantly sick with worry, anxiety and feeling like I’m going to throw up. Like the fumes from the helmet are making me sick inside.

Sometimes the helmet gets lighter and feels like it’s barely even there. In those moments, it isn’t so bad. But I believe the helmet is there to protect me too. Like sometimes the negative thoughts help to prepare me for what could come. “Could” being the key word here. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself with negative thoughts either. This sometimes happens too.

I realize more and more that this helmet is cemented to my skull. I will always have it.

But with writing, my “helmet” opens up these little air vents, letting my mind breathe for a while as I write something down. Just let it go and go, till things feel better. And the helmet closes up and I move through my day, accepting the fact I will always be wearing it.

With a mental illness, there’s ways to cope. But through the years I’ve learned, writing, by far, has been the best way to relieve my mind. Taking medication and maintaining a stable environment is first and foremost. But during those times, there will still be ups and downs. I hate when someone says, “control your emotions.” You really can’t. You can only try to turn the volume down on it. But it’s still there. You can’t delete your emotions either.

But you can maintain them. Being really emotional through writing helps too. Helps build stronger characters, and so building strength in you, your voice. Everything you put into writing, it’s all a part of you. But only just a piece of you. And there’s millions and millions of pieces to you, maybe billions or trillions, etc.

The point is, if you wear a similar type of helmet, like I do, writing can help with that. Walking, watching TV, visiting friends, petting your cat (like me) or dog, or hamster or whatever. Keeping an active and healthy lifestyle. Creating good habits too! All this, writing can do for you. I hope this helps you! Thank you for listening. 

Pre-order FIX ME and get some book swag!!!

FIX ME Pre-order Campaign is now here! To enter:

Send in your proof of purchase to lmcronkhite@gmail.com and receive FIX ME book swag! Your proof of purchase can either be a screen shot or forwarded email. Please be sure to include your name and address in the email. You'll receive a bookmark and sticker!

Open to U.S. and Canada only.  

I will run the campaign now until November 27^th (the day before release!) while supplies last!

I only have a limited amount to give out, so first come first serve. If you don’t receive anything from me, I do apologize. I want you to know, I really appreciate you purchasing FIX ME and wanting to participate!

Pre-order links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Book Depository

Indigo

Indie Bound

Goodreads Giveaway Time! Win 1 Signed ARC of FIX ME!

 
 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway
 

   

       
   

   

     

          Fix Me
     
     

          by Lisa M. Cronkhite
     

     

         
            Giveaway ends October 13, 2017.
         
         
            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.
         
     
   
   

    Enter Giveaway

Update on my Writing

Now that FIX ME is pretty much complete on my end, I’m free to move on to the next project. I plan to work on book #6 and submit it to Flux down the road. I actually have 4 other novels after FIX ME so I can definitely keep myself busy with that.

I’ve tried writing recently and found out that my computer just wouldn’t have it. Every time I went into word document, the cursor would freeze up and then I’d have to reboot the whole thing and it still wasn’t working. Plus when I’d be on Twitter, the media pictures wouldn’t show up. There were signs of problems everywhere. So it’s time for a new computer! It’s coming soon and I’m super excited I’ll be able to get going on my writing again.

We moved to a new place about 5 weeks ago and it’s been hectic, but it’s slowing down now. With my husband and son working long hours and my daughter (who will be going away to school in the fall) I have gobs of time to work on my writing career, which includes promoting FIX ME, of course. Twitter is amazing! Holla. (Love u guys!)

But I’ll admit though, I haven’t written anything big with the exception of 2 poems since we moved in. I posted one poem on Goodreads, but quickly took it down, thinking what was I thinking. Lol The second poem wasn’t even worth typing out, so I crumpled it up and tossed it in the garbage. Shoot. Miss. Have to pick it up to throw it away. Haha

I do a lot of walking and thinking, like somewhere deep something new wants to come out. I hope that day will come soon. I want to write something completely new and something I haven’t explored before. So I’m hoping on my walks, I’ll find that idea I want to write about.

Some of the novels I’ve written were easy to write and some were OMG difficult. The last novel I wrote (I call it the Dream Book) it was so wonderful to write. Everything was flowing, I wrote every day for 3 and a half months. Never once did I get writer’s block or write myself into a wedge. It’s a novel with 6 different POVs and it’s a group of teens talking about their dreams and trying to cope. Then suddenly their nightmares turn into realities and people start dying one by one. Molly, the MC has to figure out what her dreams really mean before she’s next. All 6 characters each have their own dream theme and it all connects in the end. So it’s like getting 6 stories all rolled into one, like the movie Crash.

So I’m super excited about that, but I have 3 other novels that need work.  #6 is a classic YA mystery told in a boy’s voice. He’s my only novel with a main character that’s a male. #7 is another “blue book” I call it, depressing but still with a hopeful quality. #8 is my YA horror story told in dual POV, one female, one male. I love that one too, but it most definitely needs work. That much I know. The horror novel was a big pain in the butt to write too! And it’s only 45K words!

So I’m just waiting to get the new computer. I have my daughter’s to work on right now, but once she’s gone, her computer is gone too. I’m looking forward to getting my own and buckling down on the next one in line. Thank you so much for your continued interest in my work. I sincerely appreciate it!

Attention all YA Book Bloggers and Librarians

FIX ME is now available on NETGALLEY!

It took me a long time to get to this spot and now it's available to read! FIX ME will release this November from Flux Books, and I couldn't be happier. Flux has worked really hard to get my book ready for publication. It's been a dream working with my editor, Mari Kesselring. She helped fill in the gaps and make the story whole.

I'm thrilled and excited and nervous as ever. To all the writers out there, trying to break into the YA market, never give up! If you keep pushing your book out there, keep submitting, keep writing, something will happen eventually. Never give up hope!

FIX ME Goodreads Giveaway! Ends July 31st

 
 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway
 

   

       
   

   

     

          Fix Me
     
     

          by Lisa M. Cronkhite
     

     

         
            Giveaway ends July 31, 2017.
         
         
            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.
         
     
   
   

    Enter Giveaway