I write this from the wonderful Tempurpedic in our Nest's spare room. The heating pad is on, the muscle relaxers are in, and wonderful Nestmate is downstairs, having taken the day off, looking after Chickling who, we've just discovered, has H1N1. This Momma Bird is not a worrier by nature, but it's been a tweetin' crazy week, let me tell ya.
Lots of time for catching up on the blogs however. I love this one. Great suggestions and it's got me wondering. Are you doing NaNoWriMo?
I'm not, but not because I wouldn't like to. Perhaps next year. If you are doing it, I'm interested to hear what tools you're using to find time, write, focus, become inspired, and so forth.
Have you discovered this wonderful writing tool called Write or Die? After using it for one day, I paid the $10 for the desktop version. It's just what I needed. I've written more in three 20 minute sessions (and not all of it complete guff!) than I have in weeks.
One of the first things I teach in my writing classes at *Art School of Note* is using different triggers for Stream of Consciousness writing. I think it may make for an interesting post at a later date.
Music works well for me. I like the Atonement soundtrack (and others by composer Dario Marianelli), Radiohead (and instrumental versions of their songs such as pianist Christopher O'Reilly's moody and glorious tributes), and a piece by New Age musician Deuter called Alchemy which I put on repeat and write to for hours.
What about you? Is it music (and what kind)? Do you use positive affirmations? Do you do morning pages? Have a safe zone? Other triggers, tricks, or treats?
For me...it is my beloved movies as background noise. You know the ones I mean. Movies you know so well that you could probably recite the entire script. Which movie depends on what I’m writing at the time. Sometimes it's “Jaws”. Sometimes it’s “Up Close and Personal”. Sometimes it's “Rambo”, “Underseige”, “Beverly Hills Cop”, any of the “Harry Potter”s or “Beaches”. After I put my toddler to bed, especially if my husband is working late and its’ pure “Mommy Time”, I will sit with my laptop on the couch with one of the old favorites on the television and just write.
ReplyDeleteHummm...when you think of it, that is a rather interesting/disturbing list of movies for a children's writer to watch and write to.
Okay, scratch the truth...I write to classic piano music. Yeah, that's it. That's what I do. ;)
PLJ
I have to have complete voice silence but music is wonderful. As long as no one is talking around me, I can write all day. Unfortunately, my paying gig gets in the way of all of this anyway.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your writing.