John
asked
Steve Alcorn:
Do you have any advice for how to set up my "writing space" for best results? Trying to think of physical aids for brainstorming, visual aids for inspiration, promoting a calmness of thought without sapping energy.
Steve Alcorn
I find that once I start writing I can be almost anywhere quiet, because I become absorbed in the process and connected to the computer screen. But I do need quiet, a place where I'm not going to be interrupted or distracted by background noises. I can't write with music on, for example.
Many of my students use a bulletin board to track scenes and rearrange their checkpoint outline, but I do that in the computer.
The most important thing is to just write. Don't worry about if it's turning out perfect, just get the words down.
Professional writers always write. If they aren't inspired it may be junk, but part of the routine is to write, even when they don't feel like it. If it turns out to be junk, then you simply redo it later, but you still write.
A lot of people call it writer's block when they get stuck. But the reason they get stuck is that they didn't have a plan. If you make a plan before you start writing, you will know every single scene in your novel. It's then impossible to get stuck, and in fact you can work on any scene you feel inspired about at any time, because you know they will all fit together; you can follow your muse.
Many of my students use a bulletin board to track scenes and rearrange their checkpoint outline, but I do that in the computer.
The most important thing is to just write. Don't worry about if it's turning out perfect, just get the words down.
Professional writers always write. If they aren't inspired it may be junk, but part of the routine is to write, even when they don't feel like it. If it turns out to be junk, then you simply redo it later, but you still write.
A lot of people call it writer's block when they get stuck. But the reason they get stuck is that they didn't have a plan. If you make a plan before you start writing, you will know every single scene in your novel. It's then impossible to get stuck, and in fact you can work on any scene you feel inspired about at any time, because you know they will all fit together; you can follow your muse.
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