Lotsa Links!

I was just not up for posting links yesterday. Today I am still fatigued and foggy but that is okay...who needs to be peppy and coherent? Very over rated qualities if you ask me.

Been writing...a lot.

What have I learned about writing?

* Don't write with the TV on. I once had House reruns on for most of the day and my writing steadily grew to be more sardonic and sarcastic the more I watched. Maybe that isn't such a bad thing.

* Don't turn down all opportunities to write for free. Sometimes it gets you the exposure you need. But do achieve some sort of balance.

* You are only as good as your last post, chapter, book and so forth. Just because you did well once doesn't mean you can ride on that success forever. You have to treat every writing opportunity as the first. You have to get people to remember you. You have to work it.

* A writer doesn't just write. You are also your ad agency, marketing manager, and salesperson. I have learned that writing is not enough. You have to be willing to put yourself out there. The publisher may do a little but it is usually not enough. You must promote your own writing.

* Just because you are a good writer doesn't mean the red carpet will always be rolled out for you. Writers have no entitlements. You may be cut at any moment, your pay may be reduced, and you can easily be replaced by someone who is willing to work for less money. Don't assume people know your worth. You must show them...constantly.

* If you want to write, really love it, because there will be times when you question your sanity. Don't lose sight of why you wanted to become a writer in the first place.

And now for some links!

* If you know anyone who is going through infertility it can be an especially painful process. I write about my experience going through this time in my life here.

* If you are the parents of a child with ADHD does this mean you are more at risk for divorce? According to a new study, you just might be. As a matter of fact, couples who have a child who has special needs are more prone to splitting up. But this doesn't have to be the case. Read my article to find out what things can lessen the stress of raising a child with special needs.

* In an article by J. Douglas Bremner, M.D. entitled, "The Invisible Epidemic: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Memory, and the Brain" the author cites a statistic of sexual abuse as a cause for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome: "....a prime cause of PTSD is childhood sexual abuse. About 16% of American women (about 40 million) are sexually abused (including rape, attempted rape, or other form of molestation) before they reach their 18th birthday." I have some personal experience with this topic, unfortunately as I was sexually molested when I was five years old. The memory still haunts me today. In an attempt to reach out to others who have also experienced sexual abuse I wrote this article.

* If you have Multiple Sclerosis, the decision to take the MS disease modifying drugs or not can be one of the most difficult decisions you may face during the course of your disease. In a series of three articles I have presented a balanced (hopefully) perspective of why some people do take these drugs and why some people (such as myself) do not. Please stop by to join the discussion of how you made your decision right here.

I do plan on visiting you guys very soon. I know I am so behind. Thank you so much for continuing to come to read me here and on Health Central. I am so appreciative.