I find it noteworthy whenever an author answers the question "What is your writing process like?" It kind of reveals a lot about the person. Do they write at night or early in the morning? Do they type ten sentences an hour or 2,000 words a day? Are they alone in their basement or listening to other people's conversations in a coffee shop.
So this is my preparation. It's worth saying that it all varies. I like to write when I'm home alone but that quiet house does not happen into existence* every day. I have to roll with it all and fit my life into my writing however I can, sometimes at the detriment of my formal 'schoolwork'.
- Ascertain my computer. Lately, I find it necessary to write on my computer because I have specific scenes to write and they are outlined in a Excel sheet that I fear I cannot live without. Other times I've been able to use my notebook or, *gasp*, normal paper.
- Music. Right now it's The Beatles but I have a number of different playlists that I find helpful to my muse**.
- Twitter. It's always a nice way to make sure you don't get enough written. Plus, I'm sure my followers all love my constant updates during writing time. How can your life be complete until you've read that a fly just landed on my Backspace key and now I can't correct my typos for fear of disturbing it?
- Pajamas. I really don't feel prepared until I'm wearing my PJs. It's just not right to leave them out of this.
- Open the Word doc and Excel sheet. Once I've figured out what scenes I have to write, I stare at the blinking vertical bar which I'm not sure the name of. It's almost therapeutic.
- Make tea. Once the kettle is on I have a dance party.
- Burn fingers with boiling tea while trying drink it. This is always a fun step.
- Commence pouring soul into keys. Kidding, I'm not that cliche. Or am I?
That's about it. I have to start onto this list now because, surprise surprise, I've got the whole house for the next hour and a half!
How do YOU write?
*Does anyone else remember when I obsessively thought that exist had an 'h' in it? That was cute.
**And I use that word ironically. Muses are for Disney movies, silly.
1 comment:
I write at my computer, sometimes listening to whatever song I'm in love with at the time, sometimes in complete silence because I can't think with all the music noise.
And I have to be alone when I write. I lock myself in my room or the front room and write until I'm disturbed because once I have to get up and take two minutes to take out the garbage or point my mother in the direction of the phone my momentum is lost and I can't concentrate.
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