I have found chocolate. Chocolate for people, like me, who are allergic to everything. This new chocolate tastes more divine than the typical chocolate I’ve devoured in past years. And now it’s the carrot to my writing.
I’ve dealt with autoimmune issues for the last five years. After giving up a majority of enjoyable foods, rediscovering chocolate has been an unexpected gift. Unbelievably, it’s helped my writing in all kinds of delicious ways.
I’m talking about the brand, Enjoy Life: https://enjoylifefoods.com/collections/all
They advertise all their products as allergy friendly, and though I can only eat their dark chocolate, that’s enough for me.
How does Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate affect my writing? Let me count the ways:
- When I’m crunching over my laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard, yet shaking because I’m hungry. Chocolate.
- When I’m writing late at night, sooooooo tired but there’s sooooooo much to do and I can’t lose momentum. Chocolate.
- When I’m almost done with a project and need a carrot to dangle as a reward for completed work. Chocolate.
- When I’m giddy inside over writing something especially funny or even unnerving. Chocolate.
- When I’m braindead and have no ideas to write about. Chocolate.
- When I’m mourning low times in my writing life. Chocolate.
- When I’m celebrating good news in my writing life. Chocolate.
- When I’m working on a difficult part in my writing. Chocolate.
- When I’m feeling a craving for something sweet but want to keep writing. Chocolate.
- When I’m needing more writing time away from my family. I share chocolate.
As you can see, this new carrot in my life is delightful. I recommend it to everyone, even those without food allergies—it’s that good.
What’s your carrot?
Writing Advice: Get Back To It!
The best advice I can give writers today: Get back to your work. Work on it. Continue to work on it. Finish it. Revise it. Share it. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
As many readers know, I’ve recently completed the rewrite of my novel, Seam Keepers, and sent it off to my miracle-working editor. I’ve received it back now, filled with glorious complements…and a great deal of fixes to make. The good news? My editor believes it’s a complete story and together we can hopefully have it ready to query this coming fall.
At the same time, I’m finalizing publication for my poetry book, Colors Collected. It will be available later this summer. I’ve worked tiredly revising and editing each piece to assure it’s a beautiful debut book. Including thirty-one poems from my Channillo series, Colors, I have also written several new pieces to make this collection unique and special. The cover art is absolutely gorgeous—you will want this book on your coffee table regardless if you read poetry.
With both projects taking all my attention, you can see my need and desire for chocolate. So, my writing advice for today? String up your own carrot, whatever it may be, and GET BACK TO IT!
Happy Writing (because at least you’re writing),
Celaine Charles, June 30, 2019
Image & Content Credit Links:
https://channillo.com/series/colors/ (My Colors poetry series)
https://channillo.com/ (Channillo)
https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/carrot-string?assettype=image&sort=mostpopular&mediatype=photography&phrase=carrot%20string (dangling carrot)
https://enjoylifefoods.com/products/dark-chocolate-morsels-3?variant=20209503928431 (dark chocolate morsels)
https://enjoylifefoods.com/collections/all (Enjoy Life Website)
https://www.shutterstock.com/search/chocolate+writing (writing in chocolate)
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/sprouting-carrot-chocolate-cupcakes-5126452 (chocolate cupcakes with carrot frosting)
https://www.sweetcouch.com/art/12227651-back-work-poster (Get back to work)
Categories: Thoughts on writing...
Tags: #amrevising, #amwritingfantasy, #celainecharleswriter, #editing, #revising, #stepsinbetween, #write, #writersjourney, #writingcommunity, #writingjourney, #writinglife, #writingtips, amwriting, authors, encouragement, inspiration, reading, writer, writers, writing, writingadvice
Steps In Between 
Glad you found a chocolate you can eat. Surgery is Tuesday. Love you. 💕🙏
Sent from my iPad
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