Some of you may recall me lamenting a few month's back because my process was all out of whack. I tended to get all my stuff done at work early, then spent a few hours every day working on whatever manuscript I needed to. I had learned to write sex scenes amongst quibbling engineers, constant interruptions, and inane phone calls. It sounds crazy, but it worked for me.Then, the work situation changed. Don't get me wrong - in this economy I am damn glad to have a job, much less a good, secure one that pays well. But the new job meant I had enough work for me and three others so I watched my precious writing time slip away...
Over the last few months, I've been trying to find a new process. I'd been writing some at home in the evenings at my desk, but once we got Shadow, I wasn't comfortable leaving them alone downstairs. I didn't have a laptop of my own, so if I wasn't at my desk, I wasn't working.
On our recent vacation, I took my work laptop with me in the hopes I could keep up with emails and deal with anything dire while I was away. I ended up not having to use it for that, but something else happened. Something wonderful. I curled up in a big chair with the laptop and a drink and I worked on my book. And I worked and I worked. I got so much done!
So, when I came home, I decided to try bringing my laptop home with me on nights when DB worked. I crawled into my big oversized chair, fired up my laptop and voila! Book magic. Even now, I'm writing this blog on said laptop from the chair.
I'm hoping the chair and I will have a long, wonderful life together. I paid a fortune for the chair, so I'm glad to finally have a good use for it. I may have to breakdown and buy my own laptop so I'm not hauling my work one back and forth all the time, but for now, its working great. So productive!
Under what conditions do you get the most work done? I've noticed me in the chair plus some peanut M&Ms or jelly beans works even better. Have you had to cope with a death blow to your process? How did you recover?
SP
6 comments:
I LOVE my laptop (and a mac at that). I've been so much more productive with it. It's just easier to squeeze 15 minutes of work out of a lull in family activity when I have the laptop sitting beside me ready to go. Besides, it's so much more comfortable to write piled up in the bed that having to sit at a desk.
Instigator
Congrats on finding a method that's working for you, SP!
I'm trying to convert to working on my netbook in the living room but there's something missing when working on historicals. Silence or a bit of mood music. Hmmm... I suddenly have a thought. What if I put on an historical movie and worked while the movie was on providing the right atmosphere? Nah! Who am I kidding? Y'all know I'd be watching the movie instead. ;)
A divorce has been a death blow to my process and I haven't fully recovered. I can't write in a chair with a laptop or even my Alphasmart because I can't get comfortable enough. But I have had some luck with the Alphie at a bookstore or coffee shop. With NaNoWriMo just 2 days away, I need to plan out some Starbucks time, especially since I have so many days when I have commitments that keep me away from home. Heck, I should learn to write with the Alphie in the car.
I'm loving writing in my recliner right now. It's been a good change -- just enough to shake stuff loose.
Plus, the laptop isn't connected to the internet, so I have a lot fewer distrations...
I need quite time with few distractions and with my job that very seldom happens. Many interruptions and I can't just close my office door. Usually after 3 pm it gets a little quite and I can get a lot done. Occassionally I may work a Saturday morning and I can whiz right on through with work.
Have a great weekend.
I think maybe my process is changing. Hell, it probably should, since it seems like most of the other areas of my life are changing too. Why should writing be any different?
I'm having trouble settling down anywhere. Ugh. Makes me antsy just thinking about it. Not sure what's wrong, but when I hit on it, I'll let ya know. :)
Angel
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