I’ve come to learn that the difference between people who want to be writers and people who are writers is pretty simple: writing time. In other words– discipline. I’ve heard it called ass-in-chair time, too. Graduate school has helped me master the art of binge writing but I’m on break now and without the pressure of deadlines, it’s hard for me to get drafts out.
I like to hear what other writers say helps them to stay in the chair. Anne Lamott uses little assignments (finish a scene, describe a room, get to this point in the story today). This seems wise.
Another writer who visited us, Bret Anthony Johnston, says to finish each day’s writing session with a good idea about where to go next. That way, you’ll be able to start somewhere on the next day. Sounds good too, and sort of difficult.
Another aspect of writing discipline that I’m struggling with lately is finding the right place to work. Background noise? Comfortable chairs? Music or no music? Right now, a place with no internet connection sounds nice. As soon as I click my browser, I’m done.
I’m interested in knowing other writers’ formulas for their writing time (where and when and how often). What keeps you in the chair?
As a mom of young children, I find that my writing is any time i have a moment to sit (sometimes stand) and type. I’ve learned to be able to dive right into what I’m working, as time is so precious. Yet lately, most of it seems to going to blogging instead of to the other kind of writing
So, norajean, what works for you?
Sorry it’s taken me so long to respond to this question!
Right now, not much works for me, which is why I wrote the post. I tend to write in spurts and I want to be more regular about it. That said…
I find that when writing drafts, a good nap followed by a meal and a pot of coffee works well. I like to write at night, when my left brain is too tired to interfere. I call them “writing nights.” Sometimes they continue into the next day. I call that binge writing. But usually a first draft seems to come out in one big spurt.
Then the tough part comes in–revision–tough but that’s where most of the writing happens. I need my Left brain for this, so I prefer mornings, two to three hours at a time, for picking through sentences and butchering the draft. I need to well rested because it can be boring if I’m tired.
I’d like to find a way to stop binging–I’ve been told that regular practice is the cure. It’s hard for me to practice regularly. I’m working on that old discipline thing…
Very interesting: Writing when your left brain is too tired to interfere. I’ll have to try that.
I am horrible at regular writing. It’s not the discipline aspect for me, it’s that, when I write without inspiration I can’t stand the froofy, canned stuff that comes out, and I spiral downward into frustration and self-hatred. =/ Maybe some good antidepressants would help. =)
So the trick is to align inspiration with discipline. The only thing I have come up with to accomplish this is coffee. The hour after my first cup of the day is the best.
J
instead of antidepressants, i recommend allowing ourselves to write badly. we can always fix it later. that said, i have a nicotine problem…
An explanation for the poem. It is the first poem I wrote in 30 years. I’ve been reading W.S Merwin and became infected. I wanted to be a poet back in H.S. (encouraged by teachers) but gave it up when I became involved in music. To get me in the writing chair, it took 30 years of reading poetry and a little marijuana, which I’m taking for my Colitis – it works (for Colitis, not necessarily for poetry LOL).
The thing about mj is that it turns off certain filters in the brain. A study was done with participants given a button and a screen to view with arrows pointing right or left. If the arrow came up left, the left button would be pressed, the right, etc. , except there were also red arrows. If a red arrow was displayed, the testee shouldn’t press the button. Of course, those under the influence of MJ had a very difficult time not pushing the button when a red arrow came up.
I’ve no idea if my poem is any good, but the experience of writing it was amazing. Writing without any self criticism is very freeing. Upon reading my poem the “day after,” I’m a little embarrassed. I think superficially it reads like a love poem, maybe even a sex poem, but it wasn’t my experience at the time.
I know it’s possible to turn off the inner critic without drugs, but I have no idea why I waited so long to even try.
I think that’s why I like to stay up so late–because the slap-happy feels like a drug effect. I hope you keep writing though. I’m all for as much writing in the world as possible. There’s something great about knowing there’s too much good stuff to ever have time for (I feel this way about literature and music. Maybe about movies, not sure…)