A Writer's Words - 4 Life Lessons from My Dog

Hocus Pocus and All That 

4 Life Lessons from My Dog 

By Maureen L. Bonatch 

Scruff is my writing partner. Kind of an unusual name for a writing partner unless you realize he’s a dog, a Shih Tzu to be exact. I’ve mentioned Scruff’s role in my writing process before. Such as how he waits for me to get in the office to start writing (mostly because he wants a treat that he knows I keep in there) or how he gets me out of the chair to stretch and play for a while when I need a break. But there are other lessons I’ve learned about writing, and enjoying life in general from Scruff.

Make Time for Naps

Scuff naps a lot. Pretty much a large portion of his day is spending napping making me wonder if he’s part cat. Napping is something I rarely, if ever take the time to do because there is always so much that needs done on my To-Do list. Although most of these things would still be there if I took a little break now and then to stretch and rest my eyes.

My body would probably thank me for the reprieve. Writers, and anyone else who spends a lot of time sitting, benefits from taking care of their body.

Forgive and Forget

No matter what Scruff may have gotten in trouble for, or how cranky I might be, he quickly forgets it and moves on. He’s just as happy to see me and his sappy smile makes it impossible to stay angry with him, or anything else in the world. 

Most of us tend to linger on past wrongdoings or wallow in guilt or anger over regrets from time to time. We are often our harshest critics, and the time we spend doubting ourselves, and others, from things that happened in our past don’t usually provide any benefits. As much as I’d love to find one, so far, a magical “do-over” button has eluded me. If the story isn’t working out, I either push on or work on something else. Focusing on one tiny piece for too long makes me lose track of the big picture.

Eat Dessert First

If Scruff gets a little bit of “people food” he waits to see if he’s going to get something better and eats that first.

We often hold our rewards until we meet a goal, or do all the things we “should” do, but sometimes it’s better to treat ourselves first and celebrate the little triumphs to inspire us to keep moving. Don’t wait to read that book you’re looking forward to until you get a large block of uninterrupted time. Why not enjoy a chapter now?

Size Doesn’t Matter 

Scruff is a big dog—in his mind. If the door is open a crack—that he can easily fit through—he waits until we open it more to pass through. If he’s safe on the deck, he fears nothing. He trots around with the arrogance of a much larger dog where he rules our household.

As a reader, I’m not usually concerned about the length of a story. I’m more concerned about how much I enjoy the characters and the storyline. The only time I might be a little upset is if it’s so good that it ends too soon. As a writer, I have my eye on the word count as I’m writing, but I also know when the story is “done”, and it doesn’t usually follow the rules about word count and chapter length.

Have You Learned Any Lessons from Your Pets?
Originally Published on Paranormal Romantics

© 2018 Maureen L. Bonatch All Rights Reserved
Maureen Bonatch grew up in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four seasons—hockey, biking, sweat pants and hibernation—keeps her there. While immersed in writing or reading paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music, and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line. http://www.maureenbonatch.com/
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