How do you write?
My friend Kevin Thornton posted a wonderful blog about the unusual habits of 8 famous writers. By way of example, Mark Twain wrote lying down, J. D. Salinger wrote naked, and F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote drunk. None of these work habits sound particularly appealing to me. Of all the authors cited, the one that strikes closest to home is Stephen King, who writes in the corner of his home office. That sounds familiar and comforting to me.
Like Norm Foster, the prolific Canadian playwright who was in Fort McMurray the past few weeks performing in On A First Name Basis, I write the best early in the morning, as the first activity of my day. With a cup of coffee in reach, and the rest of the house quiet, save for Junior's crunching off in the distance (Junior is Heather's hedgehog who enjoys a good meal before the sun comes up), this is the best writing environment for me.
Time is a factor, whether it is with writing or painting. Being on the clock, in some way, actually helps the creative process. Especially during these early morning writing bursts, knowing that my candle runs out in less than 45 minutes forces me to bypass the insistent editor sitting on my right shoulder and keep tapping away at the keys. Any editing that comes into play happens after the post or article is done, just before publishing.
Sometimes I listen to music, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I write in my sleeping clothes, sometimes I get dressed. I never eat until I'm done, and I generally make do with only two cups of coffee. That's pretty much how I write. How about you?
Like Norm Foster, the prolific Canadian playwright who was in Fort McMurray the past few weeks performing in On A First Name Basis, I write the best early in the morning, as the first activity of my day. With a cup of coffee in reach, and the rest of the house quiet, save for Junior's crunching off in the distance (Junior is Heather's hedgehog who enjoys a good meal before the sun comes up), this is the best writing environment for me.
Time is a factor, whether it is with writing or painting. Being on the clock, in some way, actually helps the creative process. Especially during these early morning writing bursts, knowing that my candle runs out in less than 45 minutes forces me to bypass the insistent editor sitting on my right shoulder and keep tapping away at the keys. Any editing that comes into play happens after the post or article is done, just before publishing.
Sometimes I listen to music, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I write in my sleeping clothes, sometimes I get dressed. I never eat until I'm done, and I generally make do with only two cups of coffee. That's pretty much how I write. How about you?
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