Donna Maree Hanson, Author, Phd in Creative Writing

It’s been a while since I blogged. This seems to be a phrase that I say all too often and I apologise that. Once back from the writing retreat, I’ve been up to my neck in work but also wrestling with RSI. This not only involves tennis elbow (mouse elbow), but aching wrists and a very sore shoulder. Is somewhat restricts my activities on the computer, and requires treatment by a physiotherapist. It affects how I use the computer at work and how I use the computer at home.

I must admit, with regards to the dictation software, I haven’t progressed very far at all. I think the software is fine for dictating things like this blog or an e-mail as these are fairly straightforward. But the fiction it’s going to be quite a leap for me. One of my pet hates is how the dictation software mishears me when I say stop and writes will stop. I daresay things will improve with practice but I find dictating fiction a rather tedious and difficult process. It’s so much faster to write the damn thing. ( I used to be able to write 1500 words in a hour when I was drafting)

On the other hand, even though I bought a trackball mouse, my hands and wrists and shoulder get sore with use. I’ve upped the RAM but it’s not quite enough so I’m going to have to replace the processor on this computer or buy new one. It’s not quite a sunny outlook, when you think that you may never be able to type in the way that used to, or even for the next few months. It’s quite frustrating and the novelty of the dictation software fades when the reality sets in. It’s no panacea for a disability. By the way the auto formatting in this program sucks. I feel like sitting here and saying a lot of very bad words.

I’m probably feeling a little bit morbid. On Sunday, I did an edit my story, which is going to appear in ‘Damnation and Dames’ and it took me quite a while (as it was detailed) and I did it by hand. Now I’m at the process of accepting and rejecting changes, which involves a lot of mouse work and even with a trackball mouse, it is causing pain and I’m taking a rest by dictating this blog. So in the meantime, I’m reading and studying English grammar at university. However, now that stress at work has lessened to some extent I have had lots of ideas coming through for stories I want to write. However, I have to pace myself and be patient. Lah! I find being patient one of the hardest things.