Guest Blogger, Andrea Buginsky, stops by chat about writing with a disability

Andrea Buginsky has enjoyed writing since she was a kid. Once in college, she decided to turn it into a career and earned a BA in journalism. She has been writing freelance for several years now.
Andrea has always wanted to write children’s books. She loves fantasy movies like "The Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter," so she decided to try writing one of her own. She is excited to announce her first publication, The Chosen, a young adult fantasy.
As writers know, writing can sometimes be hard. You have moments when you want to write, but don’t have time. You have moments where you have the time to write but no idea what to write. You even have times when a huge deadline is looming and you’re working day and night to meet it. These obstacles and more can make your writing life a hard one. Not to mention the publicizing and advertising that comes with it. But you suck it up and do what you have to do for your writing career because it’s what you really want. The same goes for dealing with a disability.
Writing with a disability has its own obstacles: you have moments when you are too tired or too sick to work, and your body is telling you you’d better go lie down – now! You have a strict schedule to follow for taking medications, eating properly, doing your physical therapy, and keeping your doctor's appointments. Then you have the days that may stretch into weeks where you can’t even get out of bed. So what are you to do when this happens and your work is piling up? Work around it.
Like anything else, you learn to cope with the limitations of having a disability. For me, it’s a heart condition I was born with. My whole life I’ve had to deal with feeling tired all the time, having moments where I’m short of breath, dealing with abnormal heart rhythms, and needing to take time off when I’m not feeling well. I missed a lot of school because I got sick easily and stayed sick for up to a week or two. But I always did my makeup homework while I was home when I felt up to it. Writing is the same.
For me, there is no one time of day or week that I schedule to be my writing time. I write when I feel up to it. When I feel enough stamina to sit in front of my computer and just write. A lot of the time, I won’t even notice how much time has passed, until I look at the clock when I feel I’ve written enough for that session. I don’t keep a particular schedule. I sleep when I’m tired, eat when I’m hungry, watch TV when I need to relax, and write when I feel like sitting at my computer and letting my muse take me on a ride.
The truth is, writing with a disability probably isn’t too different than writing when you have a full time job or a family to take care of. You determine when’s the best time for you to get your work done, and you do it. The same goes for my marketing. When I feel up to it, I write blog posts, update my website, update my Twitter and Facebook status, or chat with other writers online. The Internet is probably the greatest invention for a disabled writer. It allows me to do everything for my writing career from the comfort of my own home.
If you think you can’t handle a writing career because you’re disabled, I’m here to say you’re wrong. You can do it. It takes some time to get used to it, and to try to plan the best you can around your disability, just like you do the rest of your life. But if I can have a published book out there, then so can you. Good luck!
Andrea Buginsky is the author of The Chosen, available from Solstice Publishing.
Find Andrea:
On her website
On Twitter: @andreabuginsky

Thank you, Andrea, for your wise words and best of luck with The Chosen :)

Comments

  1. Andrea, it sounds as if we have many things in common from a background in journalism to the challenges of having a heart condition. However, if I didn't have this medical challenge, I wouldn't have been told to slow my roll. And if I hadn't been told to sit and rest, I wouldn't have turned my Type A writing personality around into a career as a book author.

    Your wise words are ones I will return to, when I need a reminder that I really can do this. Thank you so much, Jeanne, for inviting Andrea to be here today!

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  2. Hey, Michelle, you're such a loyal friend. Thanks so much for stopping by and for commenting. I truly appreciate it :)

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  3. You can do anything you are committed to doing. It won't be easy but its doable.

    hard is not impossible

    T

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  4. Michelle,

    Thank you so much for your comments. I'm so glad to hear that my words will help to give you the strength when you need it. It's comments like yours that makes it all worth it. Take care of yourself. I wish you the best of luck with your writing. Reach for the stars, and make your dreams come true.

    Andrea

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  5. T,

    I couldn't agree more. Things may get tough, but if it's worth it, you'll push through and make your dreams come true. Thanks for your words.

    Andrea

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  6. Wonderful post, Andrea. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  7. Brilliant post. I have chronic illness, it affects my ability to function and my energy levels. Some weeks I get a lot of work done, other weeks hardly any. But I agree, once you learn to manage it and accept your limitations it's like managing any other obligation.

    This post tells it how it is, but without self pity. Thanks for sharing.

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  8. Andrea it is so refreshing to hear someone say they have overcome their challenges and continued on.

    You are so right that a disability is like anything else, most things can be worked around. If we want something bad enough we generally do it.

    I have rods in my back from a surgery on my spine done over 20 years ago. I've never let it keep me from doing anything I wanted to do.

    Thanks for sharing I really enjoyed your post.

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  9. Tirzah, thanks so much for stopping by, my friend :)

    Andrea, it's a pleasure having you guest on my blog. Thank you!

    Dianne, Christine and Felicia, thanks so much for stopping by to read Andrea's post and leaving a comment :)

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  10. Very inspiring. I can't complain about writing anything anymore. I remember reading that L. Hittenbrand wrote Seabiscut under severe health limitations. Disability definitely can't stop talent.

    Thanks for your visit to the Write Game. The Campaign has brought so many wonderful writers my way and I appreciate that a lot.

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  11. Inspiring to say the least. Lovely post and a reminder of how lucky we are to be writing and able to. So many of us (me included) mope around feeling sorry for ourselves when we just need to go ahead and do it - as you say work around it. Well done I look forward to reading The Chosen

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  12. Wow Andrea - what a determined lady. Certainly puts me to shame when I don't sit down and write as much as I should be. Great post!

    Jeanne - congrats! Scored a winner with this guest!

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  13. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful comments, everyone! I didn't expect to get this kind of response to it :)

    Felicia, I have the rods too! Great to find a compadre :)

    Andrea

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  14. cleemckenzie, thanks for stopping by for a read and to comment. I'm happy to make a connection with a fellow writer :)

    Penny, I agree, I'm certainly the winner here having Andrea as a guest blogger!

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  15. Hi Jeanne! I just awarded you the Liebster Award! So congratulations on receiving it twice :) You can pick up your reward on my blog:

    http://andisrealm.webs.com/apps/blog/show/8299089-i-won-the-liebster-award-

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  16. Very inspiring post, and it definitely puts things in perspective!

    Taylor

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  17. Hi Andrea,

    Thanks for your candid blog. After being healthy all my life, I had a long illness and ended up with a pacemaker. In the midst of despair, I decided to focus on something other than my condition. I started writing, and its brought incredible joy and purpose to my life!

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  18. Go Andrea, you're an inspiration to us all.

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  19. What an inspiring post! It especially touches me b/c I have a child with multiple disabilities.
    I am so happy to have met you and Andrea through the Campaign.

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  20. Hi Susan, happy to have met you as well :)

    Thanks, everyone for stopping by to read Andrea's inspiring post.

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  21. Hi Jeanne, Andrea!

    Andrea, I love this post so much. Everything you said is so true, and if you can write without letting your disability hinder you, then I have no excuse! Thanks for this inspirational post.

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  22. I want to thank everyone again for all of your comments. I'm very touched to have had this kind of reaction to my post. I wish you all the best of luck in your endeavors. Jeanne, thank you again for providing me a place to share my words.

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  23. Thanks everyone for stopping by and taking the time to comment.

    Andrea, it was a privilege hosting you and you're welcome back anytime, my friend :)

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  24. Thank you for sharing, I found very useful...

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