I’m SOOOO close to finishing the draft of Book 13!
Each time I start a new book, I promise myself that I’ll write steadily within a realistic timeframe. And each time, I end up writing day and night to finish in time for some self-imposed deadline. In my quest for energy and inspiration this week, I’ve uncovered new FactsTM (see footnote below) about brain food.
Earlier civilizations believed that foods resembling a particular portion of the anatomy provided special nourishment to that anatomy. So cauliflower, lumpy and brain-shaped, was ‘brain food’. (This theory also explains the popularity of bananas and cucumbers; but I digress.)
Modern medicine informs us that ‘brain food’ doesn’t, in fact, resemble the brain; instead, the secret to smarts comes from complicated things like omega-3s, antioxidants, and flavonoids.
But after extensive research (a couple of hours at least) I’ve discovered that both ancient and modern beliefs are wrong. Brain food isn’t brainish-looking. It’s not complicated or difficult to obtain.
It’s…
*suspenseful drumroll*
Junk food! And I have FactsTM to support my conclusion!
When I’m plotting a book, I usually pace; although I may also stand stock-still staring into space or drape myself over the furniture in odd positions. (I bet you thought you were supposed to sit with your butt on the sofa cushions and your feet flat on the floor. Pshaw. The correct position is: Belly on the cushions, arms draped over the sofa back, toes on the floor.)
Pacing is my favourite creativity stimulant; but even better is Pacing With Brain Food.
I can think better when I’m chewing; probably because jaw muscle contractions stimulate my brain. My research supports this, because I’ve found that crunchy foods provide much more inspiration than soft foods.
I love gooey goodies like cheese and ice cream, but they offer no inspiration at all. Likewise, chocolate (while ever-so-yummy) doesn’t help me. In fact, the more chocolate I eat, the less I can think; until my entire mind is subsumed by four words: MUST… HAVE… MORE… CHOCOLATE!
Tradition holds that booze is a veritable fount of inspiration; but not so. A moderate amount of booze completely drains my brain; and too much booze fills it up again with ideas that seem brilliant at the time but when reviewed the next day make me say, “What the everloving f…?”
So once again, the FactsTM bear me out: It’s gotta be crunchy. You can’t chew booze.
Fruits and veggies? Meh. They’re better than nothing. But…
Popcorn. Chips. Beer nuts. Pretzels. Cheezies. OMG!!!!
My brain goes into overdrive. I pace frenetically, gobbling handful upon handful of crunchy brain-stirring goodness. Ideas flow, like belly fat breaching the waistband of too-tight jeans.
It’s a good system; but it’s not really sustainable unless I want to buy a whole new wardrobe to accommodate my… *ahem* expanding creative process for each subsequent book.
So in a few more days I’ll be back to my usual sensible diet; but just remember, you heard it here first: Junk food is the ultimate brain food. It’s a FactTM!
*
1 FactsTM is a trademark of The Fake News Generation Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Bullshit Consortium. FactsTM is defined as “any random statement, however ridiculous, which is shouted loudly enough to be reported by the media”.
P.S. I’m travelling today, so I’ll be checking in later – ‘talk’ to you soon!
P.P.S. It’s spring on the Island! Hooray!
Author Diane Henders 