What are the best conditions in which writers can work?
Most authors / writers think about this from time to time. Really, there are no right or wrongs, although many articles on this talk about establishing a routine which works for you. Maybe getting up and hitting the keyboard at daybreak and going solid for 2-3 hours; or for others the evening may work better. For some just writing on the weekends is more practical. My routine is not to be routine. I don't write every day and there have been times when I haven't written for 2 months - this doesn't mean to say I'm not thinking about writing or running through a framework for my next suspense thriller.
How long should you write for at a time? How much writing should you do in a sitting? Obviously this is variable - 15 minutes to several hours - one paragraph to twenty pages. What I see as more important is knowing where to stop. Stop at a point where you know where to go next. For me, this is very helpful. The next time I sit down to write I'm not sitting there trying to squeeze out the next sentence or staring at a blank screen.
What about distractions? Some authors can write in a house full of people with all various noises going on around them. Some need a quiet space to collect their thoughts. Music for some is a distraction for others it helps and to some degree stimulates their thinking. I like some old favourites playing softly in the background.
These days you can write wherever you are using any device at hand. If you have access to some cloud storage you can upload as you choose. I wrote 80% of my upcoming book on the iPad then changed over to my laptop for the finishing work and editing. I save my documents with a date tag e.g. Bob'sBook080620 - this helps me find the latest version.
Balancing writing with some form of physical exercise is often suggested. Personally, I like this idea - I walk as regularly as I can and I find it useful to run through scenarios and consolidate story lines or get over a speed bump that has prevented you moving forward.
Get to know yourself, experiment and find what's best for you and those around you.
If you have any tips feel free to share them on this blog.
For updates on my new book release check in HERE.
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