My Writing Space

T T T

My Writing Space

By: natter

I hear it all the time: "The perfect writing space has a

beautiful view where I can get my coffee and sit down and look

out the window and think about my novel." But that's

just what ends up happening. You end up drinking coffee and

looking out the window.  The writing never gets done.

So I choose a room in a basement or even a large closet to

work in, any space that doesn't have a window at all.

Either this, or I draw the curtains or even line the windows

with tinfoil. No natural light pulling me off to far places.

No distractions. I get my coffee and focus on the story. And

I can really lay down words.

Another writing method I employ is music. Now I'm

not talking about putting on your favorite rock station in the

background; and I'm not talking about music to relax by.

You are here to work, to set as many words down on the page as

you can. Words you will be able to keep! So I'm talking

about music that fits the scene you are writing. I have a

vast library of movie music, you know, original soundtrack

stuff. I think of a movie that contains a similar scene,

emotionally similar, and I play the music for that scene to

get me in the right mood. In this way I feel more emotional,

which lends to more truthful writing. The scene goes down

faster, clearer, and with a better economy of words. It

really works for me.

Lastly, I never show my work to anyone. I mean, how many

times have you read something to someone, seen their reaction,

and then scrapped what you wrote. No, no -- I don't do

this anymore. I get the writing to where I want it, to where

I enjoy it and think it's good, and then maybe . . . just

maybe I'll let someone else read it. Otherwise I would

never finish anything. So -- never edit your work by the

reactions of other people.

That's it for now. Hope this helps someone out there.