I write best sitting in my office chair with my feet up on my desk. I have to have the shades drawn for any movement, such as from cars, will totally distract me. I also need it to be fairly quiet for me to concentrate. Where do you write best and do you have any particular quirks or items that you need to help you write.
I always write at whatever desk I happen to be sitting at. Usually it's my desk because I often type my stories. But I don't have a special place or anything that helps me write.. as long as I'm not hungry, haha.
I never really thought about it, but I usually have music blasting in my headphones. I usually cannot type for very long in one sitting anyways, not unless the characters take over, but then I am not really doing anything, they are doing it through me.
At one of the smaller 2-person tables at the Flightpath Coffee Shop in Austin, Texas. It's a shame I live in London now. =) Monica
My absolute favorite place to write is on the ferry. I usually have to travel to an island that involves just a 35-minute crossing time, but once in a while I have to take a different ferry that has a crossing time of 2 hours. I use to dread that ferry ride because it gets to be pretty boring after you've done it a bunch of times, but now that I have my own laptop and can work on my story, I'm so excited when I have to take it. What makes writing while on the ferry so wonderful is that you've got a nice, steady humming noise from the ship and the passengers; you're away from friends and family wanting to talk to you; you're stuck on a boat and really don't have a lot of options about how to spend your time; and then if there's daylight you have the view of the sound, the distant city lights, and the seagulls to observe. All of that works together to encourage my imagination and keep me focused and motivated to write. Other than the ferry, I write best sitting on our leather sofa with a blanket wrapped around me and my dog lying on the floor on top of my feet.
Waffle House, IHOP, Truck Stop, Cafe Brazil -- anyplace they have tables and coffee or iced tea. I can't do the raw creative work at home. I see to many things that "need" to be done. "I'll get right back to this; I just have to get this load of laundry started. When was the last time I vaccuumed this floor? Loading the dishwasher won't take a minute, but first I have to unload it." You get the idea.
Anywhere in my house or my grandparents' house, with my laptop. Or sitting on the Gwrhyd moutain near Rhiwfawr.
Under a deadline. Other than that, I really enjoy the atmosphere at airports. My usual writing takes place at a desk in front of a computer, and the airport curtails my ability to escape. There's also something nebulously evocative about the very concept of the airport. Movement, travel, forward motion. It's infectious. (And probably has something to do with why I can't write if there are a lot of delays. Moving people are good; an entire terminal full of self-righteous whiners, not so much.)
I write best at the computer simply because it's where I can write fastest. I could write anywhere else, and would like to sometimes; it's just I don't have a laptop or anything so I have to write where the computer is, which is in the middle of the old unused dining room, right next to the living room with the TV, and the kitchen right behind me, and a side road right before me outside the window and such. Noises and sights for the most part don't distract me. I don't really have any of the hangups that other writers claim to have. One has to learn to write whether it's convenient or not, if they wish to be productive. Otherwise there will always be some excuse not to write. *shrug*
I write my best whenever im supposed to be doing school work i.e. in a class room lecture hall, lab. It's weird but the academic atmosphere seems to spawn my creativity.
Sitting at my desk with my laptop, playing music. Sometimes I'll just go downstairs and sit in an armchair and just use headphones to drowned out any other sounds.
Sitting by the window/chair (the one with the ocean view) while the sun's balazing through lighting the room up and i have a cup of morning fresh coffee!
My favourite, and possibly the best place for me to write is outside where I can see the sky, the trees, and can hear some sort of bird/cricket chirping. However, since it is cold and snowy in Canada for seven months out of the year, I usually end up writing in my room, looking out the window with my laptop.
I did a lot of writing in math and science classes, too. Though I guess I'm going to be the different one (as always) and say that I am most comfortable writing on a couch or a bed with by notebook or binder on a couple of pillows. Right now I'm using the pens I got from my grandmother when she died. They're artist pens that are supposed to be for ink drawings, but since I don't draw, I figured I could use them for writing.
Under a table, heavily intoxicated, with a crayon. Helps if I have some cigarette's and a lighter as well, because if I don't, then I will need to get out from under the table and go play with fire some other part of the house. if this happens.. I write best when I face first into the stove lighting a cigarette on the burner with a marker in my hand.
anywhere!... with anything... though i prefer a fat pen and lined pastel padded paper, if not working on a computer... the writing quality does not vary, however, no matter where/how/with what i'm setting the words down...
Where ever as long as I have a good idea. I usually carry a notepad and pencil in my pocket at all times. The fill in the blanks I do at home on my computer.
I know some people, just sit, and write, no distractions, nothing, just writing. I for one, can't do that. I have to listen to music and have a cup of coffee. The odd thing is that it has to be certain song, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Easily. I can't write to any thing else. I have listen to that song so many times, I can't listen to it when it comes on the radio. But when i am writing it just motivates me, and gets the ideas flowing.
