From Sarah, With Joy

*Poet * Author * Wanderluster*

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

In the room where I am writing

For me, I like to sit on my bed with my laptop on my lap. I use Microsoft Word, and I write in Times New Roman, 12 pt font, single spaced. I know a lot of people feel that font restrictive, but I kind of feel distracted by any other. I don't like the quiet, but music with words is too distracting for me, so I listen to classical, movie soundtracks, instrumental jazz, ambiance or nature sounds. The last two are more recent, most often its movie scores. I hate jeans, so I wear sweat pants, at least until I have to go out in public. My room isn't particularly organized, but its not trashed either, and I've got a big bookshelf right in front of me.

So what about you? I am fascinated by the different processes writers have for getting settled. Where do you sit? What is the room like? What word processor do you use? Do you listen to music, and if so what kind? Do you have specific clothes you wear or a specific drink you have next to you on the desk? Do you have windows, pictures, bookshelves, etc that you use to buoy you up?

I think learning about the process of other writers helps, because it allows us to feel that we're not alone, plus gives us ideas that may work for us. So, in short, what is it like in the room where you are writing?

Sarah Allen

7 comments:

  1. I write in my office, with background music, in lounge pants with chocolate near by. There is not much outside light since my office is in the den, so I am trying to get used to writing on my laptop but since I suffer from carpel tunnel syndrome, my office is better equipped for me. But the chocolate makes up for anything, lacking I guess...

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  2. Thanks for the comments :) The chocolate is a great idea...

    Sarah

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  3. I sit cross-legged on my bed with my laptop in front of me on the bed. I write in Times New Roman, size 12, double-spaced. Depending on the moment, I can write in quiet, with western classical music or rock music. But I have found that uplifting music gets me dancing or singing along and then I feel lighter and the words flow easier (sometimes).

    I wear these extremely baggy khadi pants that was once part of my costume in a play, and loose T-shirts. My room has a comfortable messiness to it and there's a bookshelf--that looks like an open-faced armoire--to my right against the other wall of my (small) room.

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  4. Sounds fairly similar. I might try the uplifting music idea. Thanks!

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  5. I sit at my desk in my small home office, where a view of the San Gabriel mountains distracts me from time to time---particularly on a day like today when the mountains wear a fresh dusting of snow, the sky is a blinding blue, and small white clouds scud by in the wind.

    I work simultaneously at my desktop and laptop. Generally, I have more than one project going at at time, and I flit between the two like a restless butterfly. I like to type in Times Roman, but I do a lot of writing in Arial too. Depends on the project.

    There's nothing special about my office, but my bookshelves hold (among other things) a basket of children's books and paper and crayons. When my young granddaughters visit, they love to join me. They sit in the chair opposite me and play "office" at my desk.

    More times than I care to admit, you'll find me typing away in my jammies, though today I got up and dressed bright and early.

    Like you, Sarah, I prefer instrumental music when I write; vocals are too distrazcting. I really like the pianist David Nevue, so I'll pop in one of his CDs now and then. Other times I'll open up Pandora. But I don't mind quiet, and I'll work happily either way.

    Love this question!

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  6. Thanks Kim! Great ideas :) I have the best image in my head of you and small children crowded around a desk, creating. Fun stuff!

    Sarah

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  7. Well,

    I am writing in my office on my desk. I find sitting or laying down on bed little disturbing. I tend to doze off.

    At home too, I use my desktop for writing. I usually become very very happy while chatting with friends and get lot of very very cool ideas then. So I use my phone to record the ideas and jolt them down someother time.

    with warm regards
    arandomarticle.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

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