By special request from one of my dear readers, here are the top five things I need in order to write, in no particular order:
1.) Peace and quiet – In order for me to write I have to be in a quiet house with no interruptions. This means no TV, no Blackberry vibrating, and absolutely no one in the house who can disrupt my train of thought. Even someone in another room is a distraction for me, so I usually write when I know that I’m going to be at home alone. I’m trying to work on this, but for now, it is what it is. *shrugs*
2.) Internet – I like to do research while I’m writing and the Internet is useful in helping me research locations, restaurants my characters are dining at, or just general information I need more details on.
3.) Thesaurus/Dictionary – OMG I would not be able to write without m-w.com. I HEART this website. I sometimes need to confirm that I’m using a word correctly or if I’m overusing a word that there is a suitable word substitute.
4.) My Blackberry – While my Blackberry is OFF to calls and emails, I still use it to store plot ideas that I want to elaborate on in the future. I could use my computer, but I find my Blackberry to be useful because even if I’m out running errands and something sparks my creativity I can jot it down in my Blackberry for later.
5.) Inspiration – I know that there are some writers who write everyday just because. And I get that! But for me, the only way I’m able to write is if I have inspiration. Usually that inspiration comes in waves. I’ll write for weeks straight until every drop of inspiration has been transferred to my computer and when its gone I don’t pressure myself to write. Instead I go back and reread what I’ve written, change words that don’t work, look for gaps in the story, etc. This is it what works me and I’m sticking to it! 😉
Writers what are the top five things you need in order to write? Please share in the comment section below.
1: Music. Quiet really grates on me the way loud music grates on other people. Silence is pure torture. My ears need to be entertained otherwise I get distracted by every little sound going on around me.
2. A full screen editor: I'm easily distracted. So if I see Firefox or TweetDeck in the background, I'm more likely to go clicking around on them rather than working. So the fullscreen editor in Scrivener (and on Q10 for my laptop) is a God send. No distractions means more work actually gets done.
3. Something to drink: It's my little ritual to make myself a huge glass of ice tea. Don't know exactly why, but it sends a little subliminal message to my brain that it is time to get to work. Not to mention staying hydrated helps with staying focuses.
4. Breaks: No one likes eyestrain. Since I only have one sighted eye, it goes double for me. I have to get up every 45 minutes or so to make sure my vision doesn't go all foggy. Plus it's good to stretch your legs every so often.
5. A hoodie: Mostly because I love that hoodie. I don't do much of anything without it.
Thanks for sharing Kate! Isn't it funny how different we are on the silence?