I thrive better at work for some reason, of course writing has to take a back seat to work at hand, and wait for free moments. But I seem to get more done there than at home.
[This message has been edited by GZ (edited December 18, 2004).]
Then I sit in a parking lot at Walmart waiting for my wife to pick up some 'cheap junk' and out it comes. Go Figure.
Any ideas for making home the place for the best writing?
MC
quote:
I try a little Pink Floyd in the CD, and a big bowl of comfort food and still nothing.
Have you tried listening to GOOD music?
Of course at work when people start talking loudly in the phone or to each other, it kills my concentration too.
I guess if I listen to music, and then-- write-- it would put me in a more conducive mood. Then that would go under the inspiration thread.
[This message has been edited by ChrisOwens (edited December 18, 2004).]
I suspect that boredom maybe a big factor in helping you want to write, and it may be that the boredom has to happen in a place that you can't leave (like work, or waiting for someone in a car).
If you can recreate the feeling (convince yourself that you can't leave your chair in front of the computer for an hour, perhaps?), you may be able to write even if you aren't in the place where you usually write.
[This message has been edited by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (edited December 19, 2004).]
I've changed my writing venue 4 times in the past couple of years. Some for necessity, others for convenience.
You can adjust. But it takes time.
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What's GOOD music? Isn't it relative?
No. Pink Floyd is relatively bad, but I don't think that counts.
Like Dakota suggested about developing habits. Do it until it your brain adjusts.
I can't write when the kids are awake, I don't know why.
So all my writing gets done after 9 at night.
I can be really frustrating.
I think it is to do with what I feel I should be doing even if I know they don't mind.
Edit:
But then again Tina and the kids have some great input into the stories (some not so great too but that's another topic) when they read them the next day. I am working on a YA story, so I guess I use the down time to generate or develop concepts and storyline etc, but write-time is compressed.
[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited December 19, 2004).]
Second: Humans have been shown to be more creative at certain times (I think it was 10:00 when most people hit their peak).
Third: the lighting and furniture might have an effect on how well people work. You must remember that most work environments are designed to be condusive to work, and that would probably cross over to writing.
You may want to, on a day off, chart how much writing you do each hour of the day.
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I can be really frustrating.I think it is to do with what I feel I should be doing even if I know they don't mind.
This is EXACTLY how I feel, hoptoad. But, like you, I have a wonderfully supportive spouse and kids who are anxious to hear me read my stories to them.
It's a give and take. At least you're there in the house if they need you. You really can't devalue the importance of that. I would feel UNBEARABLY guilty if I left the house to write. So I adjust and get used to writing with the TV providing my background music, and the kids adjust to not bugging me every 30 seconds.
I tell them my thought pattern is often like a train. Chugging along. Chugging along. Chugging along. And when they interrupt me the train has to stop. And just like a train, it stops slowly, so I may not be much use to them when they ask me a question because my mind is still on the story. PLUS, it takes a train a long time to get up to speed again, so every time they interrupt me it slows down the process.
So, you see, you CAN write at home. It just takes some adjustment on the parts of all members of the household. Of course, a smoothly functioning household with children who respect their parents makes for a much easier adjustment. On the converse, establishing and enforcing the rules that allow you to write amid the chaos will help produce a smoothly functioning household.
Still, to write at home requires one very important thing--a supportive spouse/partner. Without that I could never have come to the point I have now. Without that I could never hope to fulfill my dreams of having my name on the cover of a book. It would be too difficult for me. I honor those of you without that strong support who struggle through anyway.
Still, would you give up your spouse for your writing?
I wouldn't.
[This message has been edited by djvdakota (edited December 20, 2004).]