So the other day, I had the blessing of quite literally writing myself sick. I had a day to dedicate to writing, and I wrote for eight hours straight until I was in a state of derealization, which is objectively a bad thing, but sometimes I don’t mind. In that state, however, I can’t bring myself to write another word. I can’t read any stories, either, nor do any homework. So, what do I do instead?

Indulge in a bit of light reading:

1. Writer’s Digest

   This is my inevitable go-to. When I’ve written myself scattered, the easiest transition out of the writing state is to… well, read about writing. I love to read about published author’s methods and tips. Often times, their advice doesn’t apply because the novel I am working on is a little unconventional, but there’s something soothing about reading and disagreeing with their ideas or thinking that it’s too basic. Writer’s Digest also helps me indulge in my little fantasy that I’ll be traditionally published one day, since they have all those Agent and Publisher guides aha.

2. Pennyhoarder

   In the end, I am but a poor college student. Something that sometimes comes with a post-writing fugue is a deep and desperate anxiety about the future, but by that point I’m too mentally exhausted to really do anything about it. Pennyhoarder helps that by letting me read about ‘easy ways to make/save money’ while also letting me feel reasonably confident that they aren’t scams. I especially like their tips on passive income streams, like using Slidejoy on my phone.

3. Business Insider

   Other times, I just want to know what’s going on in the world, and that’s when Business Insider comes in. Sometimes I skim the headlines, but more often than not, I go to their “Strategy” tab to read a lot of their ‘how to’ guides on life, strategy, etc. Do I believe them? Not really. A lot of the stuff seems to be written for a previous generation, or they’re about things that don’t apply to me, like romantic relationships or social media pressuring. I find that most of the so-called ‘tips’ are already incorporated in my life, so I guess I’m pretty set. But I do like to read BI, just because it’s a glimpse into another mindset and life experience.

4. Psychology Today

   Other times, I just need some light and interesting reading that is actually applicable to my daily life. As a psych major in college, Psychology Today is a little too simplified for my taste, but that makes it perfect for some light reading. I enjoy reading about new studies or psychologists’ take on real world issues and events. It’s useful to my life, to my writing, and sometimes gives me some food for thought.

5. The Art of Manliness

   Ever since I was a kid, I was drawn to the can-do-all nature of old masculine values. From the Pocket Book for Boys to The Art of Manliness, it seems I haven’t quite outgrown that. If I want to learn a new, relatively useless skill like how to care for leather or mount a horse, this is the site to do it. Honestly, most of this 100 Skills Every Man Should Know  list is pretty gender-neutral.