November 18, 2009
A Writer’s Shangri-La
So I thought, since I’m trying to keep to a regular blog schedule, I would use Wednesdays to talk about writing and the writing process. Previously, I’ve sort of shied away from how-to topics for one reason. When it comes to writing there is no one way to do it, there is only the way that works best for you. Sure, there are certain technical aspects to writing and tightening one’s prose that are universal, and I’m not sure I’ll touch on the technical. There’s a lot of information about this on the Internet already, and a lot of explained better than I could. (Still, never say never.) So in the end, these Wednesday posts will really be more about what works for me. So with that in mind…
One of the most important tools for any writer is a place of their own. In Stephen King’s book, On Writing, he talks about writing with the door closed. This is a concept I agree with whole-heartedly. Whether it be a litteral door (in an ideal situation) or figuritive door, but I firmly believe the best way for a writer to lose themself in their story is to be able to shut themself away.
My current writing space is a room in the attic. I have a computer, desk, reference books, a heater (it gets damn cold up there in the winter) and a comfy chair that I had intended to use while reading through manuscript pages, but the cat has since claimed as her own. I do not have household bills, toys, movies, fiction books or anything else that creates clutter or distraction. I do have a phone that I don’t turn off in case of an emergancy. I do, however, screen calls. I’m sure my friends and family will not be surprised by this revelation, and likely suspected this already. 
It can be tough to get into your story and into your character’s heads, and harder still to stay there. Cutting down on distractions helps.
That’s all well and good, you say, but I don’t have a room in the attic, I work and have kids… And all these things make it harder, admittedly. This is when closing the door becomes more figurative than litteral. If you have a shared family computer area, try to at least set up a small work space specific to your writing. Keep family stuff put away neatly and away from your work area. I had to do this while writing the first half of Living Lies. Keeping yourself organized can really make a difference.
If your computer is in a family room or an area with a lot of traffic and distractions, consider investing in an ipod or MP3 player. Music can be a fantastic way to shut out the real world and focus on your story world. I wrote the second half of Living Lies by hand on commuter train going to and coming home from work. (An hour and a half both ways made for three hours of undisturbed writing time.) Listening to music helped to keep me focused and shut out the people around me. I just had to be careful not to miss my stop. 
Anyway, that’s what works for me.
Mood: Good
Music: Hello Goodbye, The Beatles
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I’d love to have a writing space, but with a two year old, it’s tough. I’ve written both my manuscripts on my laptop, which sits on a tv tray in my family room, surrounded by toys, lol. I do listen to music though, which my son enjoys as well.
November 19th, 2009 at 1:51 amI have an office and the ONLY thing I do in there is write. I don’t have the computer in there hooked up to the internet, so no procrasination. When I sit down, I write–that’s it.
It really does make it much easier to concentrate. When I try to do even the simplest writing, like blog posts, or comments out in the livingroom where the computer is, it concentration is fractured and half the time i don’t make sense.
November 19th, 2009 at 5:37 amRoni, you must have fantastic concentration. I’m jealous.
Trsih, the same thing happens to me if I try to work in our family room. I think it has something to do with the number of interruptions.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:43 pm