If you're going to take writing seriously, you need to consider it as a lifestyle - and as such to take into account what you eat, drink, how you exercise, sleep and schedule your work (writing) in your day. Right now, I want to talk about things you can do to your schedule and environment in order to maximise your effectiveness as a writer.
Critically, where is your writing space? Is it in the middle of chaos, surrounded by childrens' toys or facing the distressingly filthy kitchen? Do you have a writing space? Now, while I can recommend having a space dedicated just to your writing, it's not necessary. For the first month or so that I dedicated my lifestyle to being a writer, I wrote in my four-poster bed. Every night I would get home from the gym, have a shower, dinner, and then jump straight into bed and turn on the lanterns that I had hung from each post. I would then write for a few hours before going to sleep. It made for terrible sleep hygiene, but as I have no problem with sleeping (more with staying awake), it was fine, and it was truly a wonderful time in my writing life.
When I got my tax return I went out and bought myself a special 'writing chair'. (It in itself is not special, as it's IKEA and probably half the world has the same chair, but it's given significance by my treatment of it.) I aim to do nothing in that chair except write. Is my writing any better for it? Hard to tell, though my back is a bit happier.
As I live in a one bedroom apartment, my chair is in my main living area facing my kitchen area. This can lead to stress in some people, and while you can train yourself to block out the call of other things that need to be done, I found that the most effective way to rid myself of those nagging thoughts about cleaning was to get myself a cleaning lady. Lilly and her partner come every second week and clean my entire apartment, so I never have to worry about it. All for the price of staying an hour and a half longer at work (or not going out to a movie and dinner). Definitely worth it.
I've also taken considerable pains with making my living area one that I find conducive to writing (and comfortable to myself!). My furniture is now arranged so that bookshelves with inspirational books are within arm's reach, and my chair is surrounded by plants (flourishing plants seem to have a similar effect on my mind, while wilting ones sadden my soul). On the walls, I've placed large and beautiful prints of places I've travelled and adventures I've had, which brings a smile to my face and excites my imagination.
Lighting is very important to me, and not just having good light. Sometimes I need low, mood lighting, while at other times I need sunlight streaming in. I've fiddled around with my lighting options, and have a lamp that has a warm light bulb in it, along with my down lights, and moved my chair to be situated right near the windows. How does lighting affect you? Are your lights too harsh? Do you need to invest in a lamp? You might be surprised the difference it makes.
I also have different soundtracks that I play depending on the book I'm working on. Music changes my mood and the tempo of my writing (also sometimes the tone), so it's an excellent tool to vary what you say and how you say it (as well as putting you in the mindset).
I once heard about writer who had tried unsuccessfully to write while raising young children. She eventually tried locking them in a play pen so she could sit down and write, but the complaints and noise made that impossible. So her solution? She set the kids free and locked herself in the playpen! And it actually worked for her, so don't be afraid to think outside the box (or in this case, inside it!).
Picture your ideal writing situation. What immediately jumps out when you try to picture yourself writing in the future, once you are rich and famous and can write anywhere? What are the key elements?
For me, I have two images I keep coming back to:
A conservatory, light and clear, with a comfortable chair and greenery around me. Beside me are a water feature and a side table (with shelves for books that can hold my pot of tea, the scent of which I breathe while thinking). A cool breeze tickles through the area, and brings the scent of the water to mingle with the tea.
The other is of a warm, carpeted study. Large French style windows look out into tree branches, dark wood bookshelves surround a large mahogany desk facing into the room. In that warm room are comfortable chairs for curling up and reading fireside. The room smells of fresh coffee.
For me the colour contrasts and the amount of light are important, and the nearness of books inspires me, and the use of natural elements such as wood soothes me. The images probably mean I don't need much memory input, such as the photographs I have up around me, as the books do that for me. I try to recreate the essence of these two images as much as I can in my current environment.
Describe your imaginary writing space in as much detail as you can, even down to the scent in the air. Spend five minutes trying to go deeper: where is the light coming from? What is closest to you? What colours dominate the scene? Are you sitting, standing, reclined? How are you supported: feet up with a neck rest, sitting on a desk chair, no back rest? What is your method of writing - desktop, laptop, typewriter? Once you have gotten as much detail out as you can, go through and make a list of elements that are most important to you. Then from these, implement any you can into your current space.
Critically, where is your writing space? Is it in the middle of chaos, surrounded by childrens' toys or facing the distressingly filthy kitchen? Do you have a writing space? Now, while I can recommend having a space dedicated just to your writing, it's not necessary. For the first month or so that I dedicated my lifestyle to being a writer, I wrote in my four-poster bed. Every night I would get home from the gym, have a shower, dinner, and then jump straight into bed and turn on the lanterns that I had hung from each post. I would then write for a few hours before going to sleep. It made for terrible sleep hygiene, but as I have no problem with sleeping (more with staying awake), it was fine, and it was truly a wonderful time in my writing life.
When I got my tax return I went out and bought myself a special 'writing chair'. (It in itself is not special, as it's IKEA and probably half the world has the same chair, but it's given significance by my treatment of it.) I aim to do nothing in that chair except write. Is my writing any better for it? Hard to tell, though my back is a bit happier.
As I live in a one bedroom apartment, my chair is in my main living area facing my kitchen area. This can lead to stress in some people, and while you can train yourself to block out the call of other things that need to be done, I found that the most effective way to rid myself of those nagging thoughts about cleaning was to get myself a cleaning lady. Lilly and her partner come every second week and clean my entire apartment, so I never have to worry about it. All for the price of staying an hour and a half longer at work (or not going out to a movie and dinner). Definitely worth it.
I've also taken considerable pains with making my living area one that I find conducive to writing (and comfortable to myself!). My furniture is now arranged so that bookshelves with inspirational books are within arm's reach, and my chair is surrounded by plants (flourishing plants seem to have a similar effect on my mind, while wilting ones sadden my soul). On the walls, I've placed large and beautiful prints of places I've travelled and adventures I've had, which brings a smile to my face and excites my imagination.
Lighting is very important to me, and not just having good light. Sometimes I need low, mood lighting, while at other times I need sunlight streaming in. I've fiddled around with my lighting options, and have a lamp that has a warm light bulb in it, along with my down lights, and moved my chair to be situated right near the windows. How does lighting affect you? Are your lights too harsh? Do you need to invest in a lamp? You might be surprised the difference it makes.
I also have different soundtracks that I play depending on the book I'm working on. Music changes my mood and the tempo of my writing (also sometimes the tone), so it's an excellent tool to vary what you say and how you say it (as well as putting you in the mindset).
I once heard about writer who had tried unsuccessfully to write while raising young children. She eventually tried locking them in a play pen so she could sit down and write, but the complaints and noise made that impossible. So her solution? She set the kids free and locked herself in the playpen! And it actually worked for her, so don't be afraid to think outside the box (or in this case, inside it!).
Picture your ideal writing situation. What immediately jumps out when you try to picture yourself writing in the future, once you are rich and famous and can write anywhere? What are the key elements?
For me, I have two images I keep coming back to:
A conservatory, light and clear, with a comfortable chair and greenery around me. Beside me are a water feature and a side table (with shelves for books that can hold my pot of tea, the scent of which I breathe while thinking). A cool breeze tickles through the area, and brings the scent of the water to mingle with the tea.
The other is of a warm, carpeted study. Large French style windows look out into tree branches, dark wood bookshelves surround a large mahogany desk facing into the room. In that warm room are comfortable chairs for curling up and reading fireside. The room smells of fresh coffee.
For me the colour contrasts and the amount of light are important, and the nearness of books inspires me, and the use of natural elements such as wood soothes me. The images probably mean I don't need much memory input, such as the photographs I have up around me, as the books do that for me. I try to recreate the essence of these two images as much as I can in my current environment.
Describe your imaginary writing space in as much detail as you can, even down to the scent in the air. Spend five minutes trying to go deeper: where is the light coming from? What is closest to you? What colours dominate the scene? Are you sitting, standing, reclined? How are you supported: feet up with a neck rest, sitting on a desk chair, no back rest? What is your method of writing - desktop, laptop, typewriter? Once you have gotten as much detail out as you can, go through and make a list of elements that are most important to you. Then from these, implement any you can into your current space.
About the Author:
This is an excerpt from Buffy Greentree's book 'The Five Day Writer's Retreat', available now on Amazon. Five_day_Writer_Retreat
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