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Writing Through Illness & Injury

September 11, 2023 | 2 min read

Sometimes, when we encounter a difficult period in life, writing practice and our creative self can both fall by the wayside. And other times, writing is the very thing that gets us through.

Writer Danielle Christopher joins us from her home on the west coast of Canada to talk about how writing carries her through periods of illness and injury.

 

What does your writing life look like?

After being injured in a car accident, I'm currently on medical leave from the general contracting business I run with my husband.

After surviving cancer and a car accident, writing has been cathartic for me while in recovery.

That's a lot to survive. What are you working on right now?

I just completed the first draft of a memoir that deals with grief, raising one neurotypical and one neurodivergent child, and accepting that my mom's story is not my own.

I started the book in October 2019, just months after being diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer.

Then, in February 2020, I had to stop working on the book when I was in a car accident. Since then, I've been dealing with postconcussive syndrome (PCS).

Pictured here is Danielle's Traveler, which is adorned with a sticker that says: "Write like you're running out of time."

Writing while battling cancer and recovering from a concussion doesn't sound easy. How do you write through obstacles like that, emotionally and technically speaking?

Writing is my self-care. And like I said, it's been cathartic for me while in recovery. Another motivation to write is that my mother died when I was ten years old. And because I don't have her stories, that motivates me to write mine down for my own children.
Writing is my self-care. 
Technically speaking, my writing day is all over the place — all over the house, in the car, in waiting rooms, at coffee shops. Sometimes I use Siri to dictate, sometimes I use pen and paper, and of course I use my Freewrite Traveler the most to mold my thoughts into chapters.
Traveler is very gentle on my eyes. Bright lights can trigger migraines and vision troubles due to the concussion, so computers aren't the best option. But on Freewrite, I can type 100-800 words per session.
I also love the ease of emailing myself pieces and syncing to my Dropbox!

What's next for you?

Once I finish my memoir, I'm thinking of using my work in film and TV from the 80s to early 2000s to explore fiction. That era was pre-social media, and I have a lot of material!
 
--
Danielle Christopher lives and writes in Langley, in the Fraser Valley, BC, Canada. She is an alum of SFU's The Writer's Studio 2022 and 2023. Follow her writing journey on Instagram and Facebook.
March 04, 2026 1 min read

Teachers inspire the next generation of writers — and we want to support that work.

Educators: Enter for a chance to win a classroom set of distraction-free drafting tools designed to help students focus on writing instead of screens.

One selected educator will receive a classroom set of 5 Freewrite Alpha devices to pilot with their students.

LEARN ALL ABOUT USING FREEWRITE IN THE CLASSROOM HERE.

ENTER HERE:

 

Make sure to submit your entry by the end of the day on Tuesday, March 31.

Eligibility

This giveaway is open to U.S. teachers and educators age 18+ currently employed at an accredited K–12 school, college, or educational institution. Read the full terms and conditions here.

Limit one entry per person.

March 04, 2026 3 min read

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WINNING.

1) Sponsor

The Educator Innovation Challenge Giveaway (“Promotion”) is sponsored by Astrohaus (“Sponsor”), the maker of Freewrite writing devices.

2) Eligibility

The Promotion is open only to legal residents of the United States who:

  • Are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry, and
  • Are currently employed as teachers, educators, or administrators at an accredited K–12 school, college, or educational institution in the United States.

Employees, officers, and directors of Sponsor, its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and immediate family members or those living in the same household are not eligible to participate. Void where prohibited by law.

3.) Promotion Period

The Promotion begins on Wednesday, March 4 at 12:00 AM Eastern Time (ET) and ends on Tuesday, March 13 at 11:59 PM ET (“Promotion Period”). Entries submitted before or after the Promotion Period will not be eligible.

4.) How to Enter

Eligible participants may enter the Promotion by completing the official entry form located at https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/educator-innovation-challenge-giveaway during the Promotion Period. Participants may be asked to provide information including:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • School or institution name
  • Grade level or subject taught
  • Classroom use description for the devices

Limit one (1) entry per person during the Promotion Period. Additional entries may be disqualified. Sponsor reserves the right to verify eligibility.

5.) Prize

One (1) winner will receive: Five (5) Freewrite Alpha devices.

The prize will be awarded to the winning teacher for classroom use. Sponsor may request confirmation of educational affiliation prior to awarding the prize.

Prize is non-transferable, and no substitution or cash equivalent will be provided except at Sponsor’s discretion.

6.) Winner Selection and Notification

The winner will be selected by random drawing from all eligible entries received during the Promotion Period.

The potential winner will be notified via the email address provided during entry within approximately 5 business days of the drawing.

If the selected winner:

  • cannot be contacted,
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  • or is found to be ineligible,

Sponsor may select an alternate winner.

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The prize will be shipped to the winner’s provided address within the United States. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, delayed, or damaged shipments once delivered to the carrier.

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The winner is solely responsible for any federal, state, or local taxes associated with receipt or use of the prize, if applicable.

Sponsor may issue an IRS Form 1099 if required by law.

9. Publicity

By accepting the prize, the winner agrees that Sponsor may use their name, school name, likeness, and statements regarding the Promotion for promotional and marketing purposes in any media without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law.

10. General Conditions

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  • Cancel, suspend, or modify the Promotion if fraud, technical failures, or other factors impair the integrity of the Promotion.
  • Disqualify any entrant who violates these Terms & Conditions or tampers with the entry process.

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By participating in the Promotion, entrants agree to release and hold harmless Astrohaus, its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents from any liability, injury, loss, or damage arising from participation in the Promotion or acceptance, possession, or use of any prize.

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The Promotion and these Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to conflict of law principles.

January 28, 2026 1 min read

Write every day with the Freewrite team in February.