A friend of mine who I've known over 20-years sent me an
e-mail the other day, and he was talking about how he finds writing tedious. He
asked me how do I write, not the creative idea generating process, rather how
do I sit in front of a computer or a laptop and type away for three or four
hours a day. Actually he knows I am on the computer an average of 10-hours a
day, doing research, working on my current story or stories, making notes,
proofreading and tinkering with what I've already written or corresponding with
other writers and friends and working on my blog.
His question actually took me by surprise; I don't know how
I do what I do. I actually had to sit back and evaluate how I get through the
day writing, actually I find the process of getting my ideas onto paper or the
computer screen fun. Creating worlds, creating characters researching science
or history so that I have a better understanding of what I'm writing about it,
is exciting to me.
But to address his question I sat down today and examined
everything I do. And what I do probably won't work for everyone, but I either
have music on or I have sports or paranormal or something that doesn't take
much focus on the TV, And I have a notebook next to me with two or three pens;
a black one a blue one and a red one. The notebook is for when I get idea, I
can create mind maps and I can start to play with ideas on paper so I can get a
better handle of what is going on in my head.
One of the things that really helps me and I told him this,
is that I use Dragon Speak, where I can do a stream of consciousness writing
session or I can get all the thoughts out without having to touch the keyboard
because I am not the most agile typist. Sometimes I will be reading what's in
my notes and adding to them while it ( the program) types it up on the screen
for me. It saves time and allows me to be more creative.
I work with a laptop, but we know how limiting that is, so I
have a wireless keyboard that allows me to spread my work out on the desk,
allowing me to be in three different places at once. Using the Dragon Speak
system and a wireless keyboard grants me greater flexibility than sitting in
front of the computer and focusing solely on that.
Every writer's work space is different, and it's based on
what we are comfortable with in our work space. I know writers that sit at a
desk listening to classical music, I know other writers who take their laptops
and go sit in the park or in a coffee shop or a diner to get their creative
juices going. I think part of the problem he is having is his work space but I
think the real question that was being asked, is how do I deal with the
boredom.
For me writing isn't boring but I do understand how you can
come up with a block that stymies everything you’re trying to do after staring
at a glowing screen. When I get that block I simply put everything away, I shut
down the computer and close the notebook. I turn off the TV and I either take
the dogs for a walk, or I'll take a drive, or I'll start reading a book. It
takes my mind off what I was focusing on and by it being diverted to something
new, even sketching on the sketchpad or doodling removes me from where I was
with the block. You have to realize that boredom is a block. And the best way
to get around a block is to simply do something else.
I asked my buddy to look at what he's doing at the time,
where he's at physically what's going on in the background and how he feels.
Sometimes it's nothing more than just getting up and walking around maybe there
is a noise going on in the background that is annoying but he doesn't realize
it. Maybe he's hungry, I know I keep the candy bar next to my iced tea and if I
do get hungry I can munch on it. I asked him what music is listening to,
sometimes if I'm listening to Lorena McKennitt, but the story is taking a
different turn, say a darker turn, I might have to put in Metallica for
instance. Yes, I'm a big believer in music playing a part in your creative
process.
I also asked him what the weather is like outside. I know
when I lived in Washington State when it was cold and gray, my writing suffered,
but when I see the sun outside and I can track the hours I find them more
productive. Which is odd because around one or two o'clock the morning I
usually wake up and I'll have some idea that came to me in my sleep (thank you
muse) and I have to jot it down or type it up.
I then asked him how he feels about what he's working on, if
you don't feel your subject or your story, you don't want to work on it, you
simply just don't want to do it.
I guess to sum up how I deal with it, is I have tools that
allow me to be mobile; I have a drink and a snack close by. I have music or
some other distraction in the background that that seems to help. I have a
notepad where I can doodle, sketch or write ideas down and I can look out the
window. I also walk the dog and I read when I really do get absolutely blocked.
I guess to get rid of monotony is to have a bunch of
different things at hand that you can switch to when you do feel monotonous or
bored. Continuously working on a number of different projects always allows me
something to do so that I don't get stuck in a rut. Like I told him writing is
a lonely business and we have to find ways to maintain our creativity and
sometimes that's just having a number of things going on at once.
Thrive in the Chaos!!!
