Some foods are better to eat than others when you’re writing. Right?
It goes without saying (but I will say it anyway) that Cheetos are not the most keyboard-friendly food to snack on while you’re writing your next article, blog post, or book. And tacos get all over your keyboard, research, and outlines, right?
So, I asked some Steve Laube Agency clients, “What IS the food you most turn to when you’re on a writing tear? Is there something that fuels not only your tummy but your creativity?”
Here, in no particular order, is what they said:
I chew gum when I write. I don’t chew it any other time (Liz Shoaf).
I try NOT to eat food while on a writing tear and use meals as a reward for reaching my goals. I do drink LOTS of lemon water (Lori Stanley Roeleveld).
I cannot eat while I write. I do sip coffee or tea throughout my writing day, but the distraction of reaching for a chip or chewing dilutes my focus (Tom Williams).
I have a bowl of raw, unsalted organic nuts. Very small amounts provide the protein needed for brain function. But most importantly, I go through a pitcher of water with slices of cucumber, the most effective way to stay hydrated (Janet Perez Eckles).
I don’t eat much while writing but I drink a lot of water before and during writing sessions. Drinking water increases focus. For those who are skeptical, Google it (Rob Currie).
My favorite writing snack is a scone. The temperature of the snack doesn’t change while you get lost in a thought; it’s just the sugary pick up you need after your brain is tired and it doesn’t leave a residue on your fingers for typing (Bailey T. Hurley).
I love to indulge in a bowl of kettle corn as I write. It’s sweet and salty like me—and my writing. It makes me happy, and a happy writer is less likely to abandon her post (I hope my writing offers my readers more “nutritional” value than kettle corn) (Jean Wilund).
I usually snack on trail mix—nuts, chocolate chips made with Stevia, dried cranberry, and sunflower seeds (Michelle Shocklee).
M&M’s for me. The steady crunch, crunch, crunch becomes a rhythm helping me focus (Texie Susan Gregory).
I usually have crunchy munchies. Crackers. Nuts. Fruit. But I try to drink a lot (coffee, water, diet pop) so I don’t eat (Brenda L. Yoder).
I have been known to reward myself with chocolate when I complete a task or hit a writing goal (Cyndee Ownbey).
And, finally:
Chocolate fuels my writing, and M&M’s are my favorite. And, since you said it couldn’t or shouldn’t be done: I have on occasion indulged in Cheetos, but only after a friend recommended tiny tongs to keep my hands clean (Angel Moore).
What about you? Do tell, in the comments, please.
Do You Tsundoku?
Some may find this frightening,
and merely as queer,
but my nourishment for writing
comes, in the main, from beer.
When I need some inspiration
I’ll open a fresh bottle,
and though it drips its condensation,
I’m right back to full throttle,
hopping through the dialogue,
brewing plot twists by the flagon.
Protag drifts through foamy fog
led by fire-breathing author-dragon,
a lamp unto the dark plot-night
through breath that can be set alight.
Oh, well. The perils of writing before the Chihuahuas awake…
Second line should read,
‘…and some merely as queer,’
Kinda like writing before coffee …. hahaha!
Pam, may I suggest Jamaican Blue Mountain? Not a blend, the real thing.
It’s dear, about $50 for 12 oz, but it’s incredibly smooth, with no bitter aftertaste.
I don’t typically eat anything while I’m writing. I have a bottle of Hint water, which I often forget to sip from. haha!
I’d rather write to music than food.
Snacks don’t really distract. I eat trail mix, pecan sandies and milk. Drink tea and soft drinks. Chips and Cheetos and lick my fingers a lot. My keyboard is surprisingly still clean. My brain’s been goo for years.
Definitely cheetos!! LOL. M&Ms, Ice cream and Milk Duds. But only in moderation. Too much sugar makes me nauseous. Ha.
Chester’s cheese-flavored Puffcorn, mini-Mounds(tm) and Reese’s Miniature Cups (Party Size). Oh, and coffee. Gallons and gallons of coffee. And people wonder why I vibrate.
Can’t type AND eat, so typing wins out…. food is for later. However, I do drink bottled water!
I find eating while I type to be a hindrance, so I’m like many at the start of your list which save it for later.
Haven’t tried drinking lots of water. I’ll have to give that a go. My mother would be so proud. It was a running joke in our house, no matter what was wrong, Mum would say, “Drink some water.”
I am so intrigued about the tiny tongs that I have forgotten the question.
I have a cup of coffee near my computer. I’m too messy to have food near it.
I never eat or drink anything while writing first drafts. BUT…when editing, everything is fair game. (pun intended).
I don’t eat when I’m writing. If I get hungry, I’ll take a break, get a little exercise, and eat a snack. Then back to the keyboard. However, I almost always have coffee, water, or a soft drink close by to sip on while I write.
I always have a hankering for handfuls of chocolate chips while I write, which, of course, goes wonderfully well with a gallon of coffee. I should give the tiny tongs a try to stop myself from overindulging. Or chopsticks. That would be good for my focus, especially while having the jitters!
My son keeps me stocked in dark chocolate bars that I hide in the drawer behind my desk. Or I really love to have a short glass full of Tru Fruit dark chocolate-covered frozen raspberries. They’re kind of like a pre-write treat as I look over notes. But I usually don’t eat anything when I’m really cracking down.
I try not to eat while writing. I do drink coffee or water.
I reward myself with dark chocolate covered almonds. But I don’t like to eat them while I’m typing because they disappear and I feel like I never tasted them.
Dark chocolate, preferably with almonds, but only as a reward for finishing something. A chapter will do, sometimes. I usually have either a glass of iced tea or water during the warm months, which of course, in Florida are most of the year. I also love caramel M & M’s and have been known to make myself sick of them since I can’t stop eating them when they’re near my desk.
Ah, this quote says it all: “a happy writer is less likely to abandon her post.” Thank you, Jean, for this permission to eat what I want!
Bob, I write upstairs. Food is not allowed upstairs, so I can’t eat while writing. Since I need a fluff-my-pillow break every once in a while, I go downstairs if I need to snack. It helps add steps to my day and keeps me from mindless eating, which is bad for one’s figure.
Haha. I think about how I promised to dust and clean my office after Hannah was out of school for summer vacation. My new promise is after Labor Day. Surrounded by dust and other filths, it curbs my appetite, and not cleaning provides more time to write, right?
One chocolate chip at a time. It melts in my mouth, not in my hand. Food for thought before getting lost again in my story.
I’m a spurts writer, so none of my writing days are the same. But I, like others, try not to eat much while writing, taking a break at about 4 in the afternoon for “tea time.” It’s a good break for me to take the time to brew a cup of tea, scrounge a small treat, and enjoy them away from the computer (usually) before returning to work. If I choose any kind of messy treat (Boom Chicka Pop kettle corn or other messy treat) I eat (“drink-style”) it out of a tallish cup to keep my hands from contaminating the keyboard. This method works when driving the car as well, and the tallish cup fits in the cupholder. 🙂