What’s Your Scene?
No, I don’t mean a scene in your book. I mean where do you write? Is it in an office with the door closed and the world shut out, or is in the midst of chaos?
Do you have to have a specific place to write—do you need quiet, the Ipod plugged in to block out extraneous background noise, or does it matter at all what’s going on around you?
I write in the dining room. I actually have a bedroom in the house that’s set up in my office, but I got lonely in there. The dining room has two big windows that look out into the backyard and it’s brighter in that room than in any other. I like it there. *grin*
Typically I write during the day when my husband is at work. I can’t write to music (otherwise Nickelback’s lyrics would appear in the midst of my books..heh.) No television on, either, because I’m easily distracted. So for the past few years I’ve gotten used to writing in total silence. It works well for me.
Two months ago my son and his family (including their 4 year old daughter) moved to Oklahoma from California, and while they’ve been looking to buy a house they’ve been staying with us. That’s two adults and one child occupying my “office” on a daily basis, since my son also works at home. Fortunately, my granddaughter goes to daycare during the day so that’s helped, but it’s really thrown my writing nirvana for a curve. I’ve had to get used to noise and distraction.
But I’ve learned to adapt. Why? Because I’m a writer, and writing is what I do. I don’t make excuses for not getting the job done and whether I’m alone, sitting in front of the television, or surrounded by people, I write. This is my career. If bulldozers started digging up my yard, I’d still write. If the dogs bark all day long, I still write. If my husband has a day off work, I still write. It’s my job. I do it, no matter what. Sometimes it’s not easy, but I get it done.
My advice to you is not let anything sidetrack you. If your writing world comes under attack, take charge of it. Relocate to a coffee shop, plug in the headphones, demand that you have your quiet time to write. Or just…hide out. Do whatever it takes—this is your job. It’s your career.
It’s important.
November 15th, 2007 at 1:09 am
I have a late-night setup for after my husband goes to bed. I prefer to wait until he goes to sleep to start writing because I can immerse myself in my fictional world without fear of interruptions. I can write at other times or in other places if I must and if it’s sufficiently quiet (or can be made so with earplugs). But I really treasure my late nights with my computer, a cup of tea, and no one pestering me.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:21 am
I’ve had to learn to write anywhere and deal with any level of noise. I sometimes write, in a notebook, in a cafe at work during lunch - IPod in to drown out some of the noise.
If I think I can avoid interruption, I’ll write in the office during lunch instead.
At home, the pc is right next to the kitchen, to the extent that you have to keep moving the chair backwards & forwards to let people in and out! My housemate also has the TV on all the time, so I get used to that in the background (although, if it’s too loud I have to put music on because the dialogue from tv programmes is just too distracting. Lyrics, no problem. Dialogue, can’t concentrate for toffee!)
November 15th, 2007 at 5:35 am
I’m like bunnygirl. I don’t usually start writing until the better half isn’t around. (Better half yes. He does housework!)
I bought a new PC recently, and the first thing I did was to invest in a new keyboard aside from the one that came with the computer. A *quiet* ergonomic one.
I’d like a new desk, too.
I have a seperate room where I write, no distractions other than the internet…
November 15th, 2007 at 8:36 am
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November 15th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
I have an office, but it’s for my graphic design business. So when I write I take my laptop into the family room and lie back on the couch, usually with a cat or two crowding for space on my lap. I usually write in the late afternoon, and on weekends it’s whenever I can grab a free hour or two. I also like to write in silence, however I’ve learned that I’m pretty productive when a football game plays on tv in the background. It’s like white noise. 8^) My husband interrupts me constantly when he’s home so I’ve gotten used to that. I carry a small notebook in my purse so that if I have to wait somewhere, I can jot down some thoughts or even parts of scene that I’ll type into the WIP when I get home.
November 15th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
I used to need the sound of the keys clicking beneath my fingers in order to be able to write. Then my writer’s group did an exercise. Write outside of your comfort zone, literally. We’re a competitive group so we kept looking for the most bizarre conditions under which to write. I won. I wrote in the dentist’s chair.
I’ve learned to let go of everything but the story. The tv can be on, Nickelback can be on the stereo, the dog and parrot can be screeching for attention but as long as there’s no blood shed I can write. I write in my head all of the time. I don’t always have paper and pen to record it but most of the time I do. If you let go of all the distractions and focus solely on your characters, everything else really does fade away. It may help that I’m really good at meditation. There are some similarities in technique.
Editing on the other hand…I already know the story so I have to work to keep myself interested in the details. I’m getting better at that though. Same technique, narrow my focus.
This challenge is keeping me at it every single day. Thank you so much. Because I haven’t had a single day off work in weeks, there are times when I dread turning on the computer. It will be interesting to see if there’s any quality here.
November 15th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Fantastic advice. I’m off to follow it.
Keep writing everyone!
November 15th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
It’s interesting how we have to learn to write outside that comfort zone, or even learn to write on the fly!
Keziah, great post! And don’t worry about the quality- you can make it brilliant during the editing process. The key is to get the words down first.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
I started to reply earlier but then I had to go pick up my boys from school.
For me, this is always about keeping it as fluid as I can. I don’t really like to write in public but I wrote for the first two years in bed on my laptop. It wasn’t until this year that I finally got a desk in my room!
My life and my house is always filled with insane chaos so if I wasn’t willing to be flexible about my writing (but inflexible about NOT doing it), I’d never get enough done.
November 15th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Funny, the words come easier to me when their is noise. I have an 8 year old and a 3 year old. I better be able to write with noise. But when I’m editing I need quiet to hear my words come back at me.
November 15th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
I write in the early mornings from 5 am until the wee ones stir, and then after the wee ones are sleeping in the evening, from anywhere from 9 onward. I also write extensively one weekend day. The other is strictly for family time.
I write most of the time on the laptop rather than the desktop. The desktop is in the office, but it is too isolated.
The laptop moves from the den, while the wee ones watch tv, to the porch, to the living room couch. I’ve adapted and can work with television, squalling wee ones, and even Patrick’s home improvement projects, which consist of a lot of four letter words! I love to write to music.
Patrick, on the other hand, needs total silence when he is creating.
November 16th, 2007 at 12:30 am
I work in my room, on my laptop. One its faster than my PC. Two its limited in what I can put on it. I listen to music on my PC which shares the same desk. In my room I am most comfortable. My best writing hours are usually in the afternoon, evening, and early am.
Depending on how things go, I can write a couple of pages or up to four chapters. I suppose it also has to do with how well I can focus on what I’m doing.
November 16th, 2007 at 8:13 am
Can I write with noise? Yes, I’ve learned to. Am I more productive without it? You bet.
My favorite time to write is in the mornings. I seem to see things better. I get the kidlets off to school and write at my desk with the cat beside me now that it’s cold (she likes the fan from the laptop…LOL it’s not cause I’m there). I love my new desk. I keep it tidy and faces a wall with pictures on it and to the side I can look out a window. My back is to the rest of the room, so I don’t notice any mess. Love the set up.
If for some reason I haven’t reached my word count or higher, I write after they go to bed.
Last night I managed to get in my word count with the hubby prepping the room I was in for painting. I was happy about that LOL.
December 15th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
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