Heather Hiestand/Anh Leod
Currently: Just got home, very sleepy.
Mood: Is sleepy a mood?
So this is Butt in Chair, Hands on Keyboard topic month?
The only thing that's ever kept me writing steadily is enthusiasm. For a while I thought what kept me writing was getting paid to do so, but that doesn't seem to be it. I've always written double the daily page count when I was actually enjoying a story, versus writing exactly to the market. That's not to say there aren't points in just about every book where I want to give up, but some books just make me happy to write them. My book One Juror Down, for instance, wrote itself over a summer. And when I wrote the sequel, Two on the Hunt, I was happy the entire time, remembering my research trips with friend Carol to the marina where the book was set (fictionalized first of course, because of those pesky kidnappers, murderers and vampire wannabes running around).
When I'm not getting any writing done, my secret technique is to go to Starbucks with a friend and write. Usually I go with Delle Jacobs, who has much more sitting at Starbucks tolerance than I do. We bring our laptops or Alphasmarts or other fancy devices and write. The baristas even know us now. Usually that carries through to at least a few days of productivity before we need to go again. Give it a try!
9 comments:
It definitely works for me, Heather. Just knowing we're both there to tell the other to shut up and write keeps me going. And then after I get going there, I continue after I'm home. I've been bringing my new toy, my MSI Wind, on which I very carefully avoided loading anything distracting. And I don't want to pay for wi-fi access, so I might just as well write!
And yes, I also write more pages, faster, when my story wants to write itself.
~raises hand~ oooooo - I want to come to Starbuck's, too! Damn, I'm too far away now. Ok, I'll do the local library (they don't have a Starbucks here) and think about you two telling me to shut up and write. Would that work? M:)
Works for me, Minnette! As long as I don't have to get on the internet to say shut up.
Just imagine that hot, deeply rich brew in your hands as you pause, thinking of just the right phrase. You savor the taste lightly because it's still a touch too hot, then set the paper cup aside on the little round table, wondering if you can work in somewhere the subtle corrugated feel of the cardboard wrapper. And inspired because putting in a touch of texture is just what you need, you can't wait to get your fingers back on the keyboard...
"Shut up, Delle," Heather says...
So now it's BICHOKSU? SU being shut up, of course. I need a shock device that deploys every time I try to go online.
BICHOKSU? I love it, Jess!
I find it interesting that others can write well in a public place, as I find those places much more distracting than home. But I do like something to munch on when I'm writing intensely. Haven't tried teaming up with someone else to keeps you on task, though!
My son promised to build one of those, Jessa. I'll tell him to apply for the patent.
Good grief. You are all giving me smacks upside the head for not being more productive. You're not letting me wallow in self pity.
I've tried the public places, the private places and the beautiful places. When it comes to writing, anywhere and everywhere works for me as long as I make the effort.
Which means, make the effort! OK, you're all brats!
Starbucks is a favorite of mine too. I also love B & N at Clack Town Center. When I'm real serious about writing, because I'm slacking at home, I go there :)
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