Writing atmosphere
I'm back from the weekend of visiting with my side of the family. Typically two weeks before Christmas, Derek and I go to my dad's house. My sister, her husband and their kids join us there. Derek and I got home last night (6-hour drive), I have some vacation days to use from work, so I'm taking one of them today. I just got back from picking up The Pack at our vet where we'd boarded them for the weekend so the ladies there could spoil them even more than they already are. I'm writing at the dining room table because the greyhounds (Andy and Gracie) would try to follow me upstairs to my office, and greyhounds don't do stairs very well. So I'm at the table, with happily sleeping dogs around me.
Which brings me to today's blog topic -- writing atmosphere. We all have our favorite rooms, surroundings, atmosphere for writing. While I can be incredibly productive here at the dining room table (because I've written here so often, it's become a "writing comfort zone" for me), I prefer my office. And I have found that I prefer my office pretty dark. Which isn't a problem since I'm usually writing up there at night. I have a desk lamp with a low-watt bulb, and a floor lamp with a dimmer switch. I rarely use the overhead light at all (except when I'm digging around in the closet trying to find something). We've been in our house for almost nine months, and I'm still looking for stuff.
But I believe it may have been Anya Bast, the fantastic erotic paranormal romance author (see her link to the right), who said something on her blog that gave me the idea to light candles in my office. When you're writing fantasy in a quasi-renaissance setting, nothing says atmosphere like candles. I only use a few, and they're in a safe place away from anything flammable. Having the lights turned way down and the candles glowing, makes (at least for me), the ideal writing atmosphere. The brightest glow in the room is my computer screen. It really helps me focus.
Question for all you writers out there -- what's your favorite writing place, atmosphere, way to focus? Either respond to the blog or email me. I love to hear how other writers work.
Tomorrow's blog will be the fourth of my posts on "5 Things I've Learned About Writing." Tomorrow's topic is "Writing is a Business." And I've decided that my 5th post on the things I've learned about writing won't be my last. As a new author, I'm learning new things every week. So I'm going to keep up the "Things I've Learned About Writing" posts. From the emails I've been getting, they're very popular. (I'm glad you've enjoyed them.)
And don't forget this Saturday, December 22, you'll get my Christmas gift to all of you. Just come to the blog that day, and I'll tell you where to go to find your present. ; )
Now I'm back to work on Chapter 13 of The Trouble With Demons.
Lisa
Which brings me to today's blog topic -- writing atmosphere. We all have our favorite rooms, surroundings, atmosphere for writing. While I can be incredibly productive here at the dining room table (because I've written here so often, it's become a "writing comfort zone" for me), I prefer my office. And I have found that I prefer my office pretty dark. Which isn't a problem since I'm usually writing up there at night. I have a desk lamp with a low-watt bulb, and a floor lamp with a dimmer switch. I rarely use the overhead light at all (except when I'm digging around in the closet trying to find something). We've been in our house for almost nine months, and I'm still looking for stuff.
But I believe it may have been Anya Bast, the fantastic erotic paranormal romance author (see her link to the right), who said something on her blog that gave me the idea to light candles in my office. When you're writing fantasy in a quasi-renaissance setting, nothing says atmosphere like candles. I only use a few, and they're in a safe place away from anything flammable. Having the lights turned way down and the candles glowing, makes (at least for me), the ideal writing atmosphere. The brightest glow in the room is my computer screen. It really helps me focus.
Question for all you writers out there -- what's your favorite writing place, atmosphere, way to focus? Either respond to the blog or email me. I love to hear how other writers work.
Tomorrow's blog will be the fourth of my posts on "5 Things I've Learned About Writing." Tomorrow's topic is "Writing is a Business." And I've decided that my 5th post on the things I've learned about writing won't be my last. As a new author, I'm learning new things every week. So I'm going to keep up the "Things I've Learned About Writing" posts. From the emails I've been getting, they're very popular. (I'm glad you've enjoyed them.)
And don't forget this Saturday, December 22, you'll get my Christmas gift to all of you. Just come to the blog that day, and I'll tell you where to go to find your present. ; )
Now I'm back to work on Chapter 13 of The Trouble With Demons.
Lisa
posted by Lisa Shearin at
9:14 AM
12 Comments:
Gosh, I can write just about anywhere. I used to keep a pad of index cards in my purse, and that's a habit I really need to reestablish. (My daughter has a bad history of commandeering all my index card pads.) I've written on airplanes, on bumpy car rides, in doctor's office waiting rooms, at work, you name it.
Me, too. There's a notepad in every room in the house, in my purse (that's the size of a briefcase), at the office, in my Jeep, and the list goes on. I've even jotted a few words in church during the sermon. Oooo, I'm a bad girl. ; )
Like Tia, I can also write just about anywhere. However, the one thing that I must ALWAYS have with me is my music. I have sooo many different playlists on my Ipod, I think I have one for just about every possible mood and situation you could think of! Other than that, I am a pretty low-matinence writer. :)
I can write anywhere too, but usually I write at the computer in my living room (we call it the library because it's filled with books)or in my bedroom. But I have been know to just grab any scrap of paper I can find and start scribbling when the muse is with me.
During the SERMON?? You bad thing! That's one place I can honestly say I've never written! (Unless, of course, I'm supposed to--we are encouraged to take notes at our church.)
(LOL. Hangs head in shame. And I'm a deacon.) It was just a few words, and I did have a notepad in my purse, so at least I didn't write my dialogue snippet on the bulletin. Now I really was paying attention to the sermon; but then this line of dialogue just pops fully formed into my head. And by writing it down instead of trying to hold it in my head, I was able to return my full attention to the sermon. ; )
LOL! I know the church situation, all right (my pastor likes fill-in-the-blank sermon outlines for us to follow along with, and the back of the sheet is always blank and white and evilly tempting).
I keep steno pads everywhere around the house, but I mostly use them for worldbuilding and plot-scribbling. For actual writing, I use my laptop, usually on the couch or in the kitchen, sometimes in my bedroom (and sometimes in the car, too. They call me the Remora, because I hop rides with people just for the fun of going in the car).
I almost always have music playing, country or bluegrass or movie-soundtrack; often I'll be writing near one or more family members, who are moving about, watching tv, or generally making more noise. *shrugs* It forms a kind of white-noise backdrop. I have a hard time concentrating in complete silence.
And I always need bright light when I'm writing, because otherwise the glow of the computer screen distracts me completely. ;)
I'm exactly the opposite -- I love the dark. ; ) Oooo, that would be a temptation -- blank pages in the church bulletin.
Oohhh!!! I just got the MLTF postcard, it's gorgeous! You remembered that I love Tam :-) Thank you!
Otto, of course I remembered that Tam's your favorite. ; ) BTW -- I got the A&M postcards this weekend, and I should get the A&M bookmarks the week after Christmas. I'll send you some of those too.
I do my best writing out of the house where I can't be distracted by t.v. or the internet. Mostly I write in bookstores with my headphone on or at night. I always carry a little notebook in my purse for those moments when I get an idea I just have to write down.
Hi Kaylee, and welcome! The Internet is a HUGE distaction for me. And if I'm trying to immerse myself in a particular scene or mood, a movie soundtrack on the headphones is a must.
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