Personally I am incredibly lazy writer. As soon as I hit a stumbling block I'll think "Well of course I can't think of what to write, I have no coffee!" and totter off downstairs to make myself the fifth cup of the sitting. And of course, while I'm there I'll have a cigarette, feed the fish and try and work out where the low humming I can hear is coming from. After trying several appliances and satisfying myself that the humming is probably next door's vacuum cleaner I will return to my desk, only to discover that the three hours I set myself has now expired and it's time to watch TV. For that reason I set myself a word limit for the day rather than a duration. I'll sit down and won't move until I've written at least a thousand words. That way when I'm having a lazy day I have something to drive at. It could take an hour, it could take four but at least I know that all the time I spend getting distracted by two pidgeons outside that look like they might get it on, is time that I'm adding onto my day of writing. Of course that's only if you're like me and I'm aware that most people are not.
Well I rewrite a chapter at a time, one rewrite to start. Then it mainly depends on how focused I am, I occasionally get up and just walk away. After I'm done with the first rewrite then at a different time I will go back to review and rewrite again on that same chapter. Session length, it depends but if I get bored then I'll walk away, I'm a bit of a wanderer.
I can kind of identify with this, minus the smoking and fish. But I go through spurts of writing or editing a lot. Then there's times I just can't do it... sometimes for lack of time if anything.
Since right now I dont have a social life (tihi) I sit by the computer all night alternating writing with a little internet, for example to come here and exchange ideas with you guys . I don't set any goals, I don't feel I have to because for me its a pleasure and I prefer writing to other things. When I'm in the writing phase I can write from 1000-3000 words a day (on some cocasions even more) but when rewriting I just sit and work at it until I go to bed, which right now means around 800-1500 words a day. At the time being I need to make this MS longer because in the first draft it had only a little over 40 000 words. Right now im at 49 500, so Im getting there.. But there is no doubt this will be a novel of the shorter kind. I just can't come up with a way of extending it more than this. I know about novels published here lately that were around 50K so hopefully it will have a chance
I can only do 600-700 words in one sitting. Yeah, I don't have much writing stamina lol Without music, 100 words is impossible. Music is a must
I can rewrite more second- or third-draft material in one sitting than original material. If it's the weekend, and I don't have anything else that needs to be done, I shoot for 3000-5000 words...but it doesn't always happen.
in re 'writing' vs 'rewriting' i don't see any distinction between the two... until i have a polished final draft ready to be submitted, it's ALL just 'writing'...
I'm just curious to know from you all, are you a morning writer, night writer or both? Does a certain time of day spark inspiration for you? If so, what time of day do you think is the best day to write for you? (excluding work, school, etc) If you are not able to write during a certain time of day due to being busy, would you wish to have this time if allowed? I'm just interested in finding out if a certain time of day sparks inspiration for you. For me, I'm more of a night writer, only because I'm known as a night owl. I am more lively during the night than I am during the day. Though, I have heard of authors and writers staying up really late at night because of writing. Is it true some authors and writers hardly get any sleep? (random question-off topic)
interesting question for me. My favorite time to write is around 4-7 am. Most my friends stay online till about 3am so once their off, my familey is asleep and I dont worry about any distractions I can really get going and I love nothing more than writing as the suns coming up over head. The one problem with this: my writing is of course crap if I'm really really sleep deprived, my late night writing works best if I take a nap at like 11pm-1am and then start working on my storys. And I will agree with the writers dont get much sleep, at least I dont. But thats more because I have a busy schedule than anything else. It also depends how motivated I am to finish a book or story
With my class schedule I have a break between classes in the morning and evening os i usually write during the afternoons. Or late at night, but i tend to get sleepy and the words don't flow as easily. Sometimes I write in the morning though, so i guess I'm all over the place.
Hmmm...I'm more of a night writer. I don't always want to be because I have to pay for my writerly escapades in the morning, but yeah, I get more writing down when there's hardly any distractions. Night is the prime time. There's just silence and you and the page or screen. It's especially easier because at night my inner editor/critic knocks off and goes to sleep
Actually my display name hints at my preference. Strangely the later at night the better I write. I figure it's mostly because; 1) The house it completely quiet. 2) The neighbours and their annoying dogs are quiet. 3) No one’s awake and therefore no one will disturb me. 4) I like the night more than the day when writing. If I could sleep all day and write at night, I would've finished my novel a long time ago, lol.
1am-onwards is my prime time. For actually writing that is. But 9pm-ish, 'till 12, is my time for brain storming.
I write whenever I want to, but whenever I'm getting near the end of a draft I stay up later and later until basically I'm going to bed at sunrise and waking up in the afternoon. It's so much fun to write then, but I can't do it all the time.
Night would be nice for me but I'm too tired by then to think......I stay up 90% of nights until 1-2:00am.....3:00am rarely.....
As a NEET I used to write from midnight 'till sunrise every single night; now I'm in bed by 9:30/10:30pm. Most of my writing is done on Wednesdays and then Fridays~Sundays. I mean to start writing early in the day but I don't tend to start until at least 7pm.
I am a night owl writers, because everyone else are sleep, and I won't feel distracted by noises. It helps me to focus better during the night than in the morning. Sometimes I do it right before classes, in the school's library.
I'm a night-writer too, for about the same reasons as the topic writer; I feel more lively during the evening and my inspiration comes at night, it's not ONLY an issue of there being no distractions, because for that purpose the mornings should be better actually. It's more about me feeling more willing to sit down and write. In the day time strangely I don't feel the same need to. I so would like to be a day time writer though. And once I move out and into my own appartment (next month) I think that might change and I could at least try and write earlier in the night. Right now 'inspiration' strikes at around 18.00 and finishes at 02.00, but because of the amount of distractions in that time I get very little written because I have no place to write away from the noise of the rest of the family and with everyone watching tv and talking etc around my head...
I'm inspired whenever I'm slightly tired. Morning and night is when I come up with new ideas for both current and new stories. However, I spend that time making a plot outline or possibly pointlessly drawing things for my stories. The actual writing happens during the day, usually afternoon because I get home from work, have just eaten and all there is to do is watch TV anyway. Speaking of work, I should be working...
i'd write 24/7 if i didn't need sleep breaks... time of day/night doesn't matter... if i have something that needs to be written down, i do it, even if i wake in the middle of the night with an idea... which is why i've always slept with paper/pen next to me...
