12 Comments
User's avatar
Tracy Mansolillo's avatar

Thanks for sharing your process, your routine and how you have managed your disability. Look forwrd to reading your articles and glad I found you today.

Expand full comment
Unclenching by Chris L Vaughan's avatar

Thank you, Tracy! That means a lot. I’m looking forward to reading your work!

Expand full comment
Kelly Mack's avatar

Love this post! I too am still working on comfortable positioning and music (also can’t do lyrical tunes) when I write. Thanks so much for writing this, Chris!

Expand full comment
Unclenching by Chris L Vaughan's avatar

Thanks, Kelly! I feel like my workspace positioning works for about a year and then I have to reimagine it again. We'll see what changes next year!

Expand full comment
Jane Harrison's avatar

So interesting to read about your writing process and routine Chris, I love hearing how other people do it, what works for them… and of course the extra adaptations you need for your disability. I have to remember to set a timer to make myself have movement breaks (not to mention rest) otherwise my body becomes sooo stiff! A bit annoying as it interrupts the flow of writing sometimes. 😊

Expand full comment
Unclenching by Chris L Vaughan's avatar

A timer is such a great idea! I definitely can forget to take enough breaks then I'm so sore. Sometimes it's helpful to just take my eyes off the computer screen for a few minutes. I'm going to try a timer today!

Expand full comment
Jane Harrison's avatar

Ah cool, good luck with the timer! I have to admit sometimes I ignore it if I’m in the middle of a sticky bit of writing, but at least I have more chance of a break than if I didn’t set it! 🤣

Expand full comment
Jennifer O'Connor's avatar

Try this for your writing playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/album/0ZVkkcvhUWQ4hIeoC8Y5Kb

Expand full comment
Unclenching by Chris L Vaughan's avatar

Wow! I love this so much and now this is all I want to listen to for the next week (or two!) Just added! Love how joyful it is and sounds like it could have been recorded any decade. Thanks, Jennifer!

Expand full comment
Ms. Billie M. Spaight's avatar

Whatever works for you, enjoy it. Everybody needs different things to be able to create. Thank you for sharing.

Expand full comment
Unclenching by Chris L Vaughan's avatar

Absolutely. Thank you!

Expand full comment
Ms. Billie M. Spaight's avatar

I think a lot of us internalized ableism very strongly. I was in such denial that I didn't even "know" that I had 3 disabilities. It was more than even hiding them. It was complete repression. Until I started reading Joseph Kibler's essays, I didn't even realize this. I had already admitted the disabilities but I had forgotten the earlier years of this repression. It's weird because I read accounts like yours and I wonder why you would try to hide and then I remember what I did to myself! As I wrote in my review of Joseph's documentary, Walk On, we are coming out of the shadows and into the light. Indeed #OurTimeIsNow!

Expand full comment