Sunday, January 28, 2007
I've been pondering one of the reasons it's been so hard for me to write lately and I think part of the answer lies in the fact that I started trying to write on my laptop downstairs so I didn't feel as isolated from my family.
Unfortunately, I think I'm the kind of person who really works best with a sort of "work" environment that is separate from my "living" environment. Hopefully that makes sense.
I've been able to work from home very successfully but when I really look at how I managed that, I really did treat it like going to work. I got up, fed the starving-yet-overweight felines, took M to daycare and then locked myself in the office with a soda and some snacks and sat down to work. I would often lose myself so much that I would only become aware of it when I either really needed a drink or really needed to pee.
Since I work a full time day job, I can't currently do this during the day for my writing. So I'm spending the next few weeks trying to set a pattern for myself. At 10pm I am going up to my office and "going to the writing job" until midnight. I cleared off my desk so I had some space (the top of the file cabinets is next) and I have a lovely bottle of aromatherapy hand lotion I'm putting on to set a scent trigger for myself.
Last night I ran out of things to drink so tonight I made myself a pot of tea and brought it, a beautiful tea cup I bought it Beijing and my sugar to my office with me.
While I don't intend to limit myself to only writing from 10-12 or only in my office, I have to think that some time and an established pattern has to be better than the prior lack of anything, especially writing output.
Does anyone else do certain things or have little rituals they do to perpare them to write?
Unfortunately, I think I'm the kind of person who really works best with a sort of "work" environment that is separate from my "living" environment. Hopefully that makes sense.
I've been able to work from home very successfully but when I really look at how I managed that, I really did treat it like going to work. I got up, fed the starving-yet-overweight felines, took M to daycare and then locked myself in the office with a soda and some snacks and sat down to work. I would often lose myself so much that I would only become aware of it when I either really needed a drink or really needed to pee.
Since I work a full time day job, I can't currently do this during the day for my writing. So I'm spending the next few weeks trying to set a pattern for myself. At 10pm I am going up to my office and "going to the writing job" until midnight. I cleared off my desk so I had some space (the top of the file cabinets is next) and I have a lovely bottle of aromatherapy hand lotion I'm putting on to set a scent trigger for myself.
Last night I ran out of things to drink so tonight I made myself a pot of tea and brought it, a beautiful tea cup I bought it Beijing and my sugar to my office with me.
While I don't intend to limit myself to only writing from 10-12 or only in my office, I have to think that some time and an established pattern has to be better than the prior lack of anything, especially writing output.
Does anyone else do certain things or have little rituals they do to perpare them to write?
posted by Maura Anderson at 11:11 PM
I don't have rituals really. I try to write every day, that's important to me and I have a place I usually work but mainly that's because it's kid free.
bySo if you're writing we'll be reading again soon, no?
byAnd good for you! I'd *LOVE* to keep to a schedule. I've been doing pretty well lately, but it's not perfect yet. And yes, I do have a lovely cranberry candle that keeps me in the mood!
I like it to be kind of quiet when I write. But I live alone--well, my daughter is with me again. And I have some trouble when she's chatty, but lots of times, she just lays on the loveseat and reads while I write. I find writing is best when it's too late for the phone to ring. I do writing races with Sasha a lot. I tell anyone (like my daughter) that I'm going to be racing and to give me quiet time for 20 minutes. That seems to be an easier chunk of time for others to deal with. and if you write flat out against the clock for 15 minutes, it helps you get over the hump and usually, you can peck away after that. The extra five is time to say how many words you typed and set up the next race(we time ourselves and chat on msn about it) So, that's one way to do it...
byI have on ritual. Tune everyone out with my I-Pod and Vivaldi's Four Seasons.
byDogs bark, cats meow, kids piss and moan and I can't hear anything.
it's BLISS. LOL