Monday, April 10, 2006

What's Your Poison?

When you sit down to write, what's your set up? Music or no music? Something to drink? Snacks at hand? Still in your pj's or dressed to kill? What makes your writing environment ready to go?

For me, it's usually no music but when I do play music it's the Soundscapes channel on the digital cable turned down low. That seems to be a kind of "white noise" for me.

I almost have a drink of some sort - I try to make it water but first thing in the morning, it's coffee. Right now there's a giant Cafe Du Monde mug sitting next to my laptop. It holds about three regular cups of coffee and it's about half-empty right now so today should be fairly productive. Hah!

I'm still in my pj's but since I'm getting ready to hit the treadmill, that will change. When I write, I stick to comfy clothes - yoga pants or drawstring pj-style pants and a tank top of some sort (I love those kind with the shelf-bra built in, you know the ones I mean?). Presentable enough to answer the door or run out and get the mail but not something I'd go to the grocery store in.

And no snacks. Snacks lead to widening of areas that are already wide enough. Although if I'm really into the writing, I'll make my lunch and bring it back to my desk.

What about you?

13 comments:

  1. Whatever goes - if there's spaghetti on the side table - I'm all over it as I type one fingered and pray I spill nothing... But I always do. *g*

    I have to have quiet - but with a kid that is darn near impossible.

    So I deal... And I just tune everything out.

    I get spacey - so I have to have open windows - and fresh air. No matter the temperatures outside.

    I eat food - I love food. I'm also wide... Not quite Uhaul wide - but comfortable cushioned plus some. So the chair has to be padded.

    One day - I want my own office with a fully ergonomical and comfy chair and set up.

    But for now - where I am is where I write. Coffee or tea is a must - but when it is wind-down time, I do the calming water to flush out the caffiene.

    I dunno - each day changes, and so do the days of my writings. *G*

    Lady M
    Ps. Cracking that whip over you! How ya doin on your WIP?

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  2. Well, instead of getting on the treadmill, I've written two pages. But now I'm really going to workout. I swear.

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  3. Anonymous8:21 AM

    I have water, easily within reach, on the desk. It's no music for me and I usually wear casual clothes, or sometimes, pajamas.

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  4. No snacks. Only drink I usually have is black coffee. Anything else is a distraction.

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  5. Distraction - huh? where? What was that? Hey - isn't that a pretty color. Look at that treadmill I wonder how fast it can go if I put the dog on it. Whoa check out the clouds over there.

    Hmm?

    Being ADHD I think a dust molecule is distracting... LMAO!

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  6. Sweats, old t-shirt and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
    Teri

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  7. Caffeine free Diet Coke, sweat pants, tank top (gotta have the built in bra!) with a sweat jacket over top. Blanket on my lap (hey, I'm in Michigan and it's cold). I rarely get to choose what kind of background music will be playing. Most often it's PBS Sprout channel--Big Bird, Barney, etc. Hard to imagine I write erotic romance with puppets singing Happy Monsters in the background :)

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  8. In the mornings, coffee.
    In the afternoons, water.
    In the evenings, wine.

    I don't have food around me when I'm writing. If I'm hungry enough, I'll get up to eat.

    Lately, I've been sitting on the futon in our back bedroom when I write. I find that a desk feels too much like work. I have the XM station on the TV going to whatever music is appropriate for what I'm writing. I always have music or the TV on in the background.

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  9. Lots of good freshly ground coffee and JACK FM here in the Ohio Valley, which plays music from the 60s to the 90s.

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  10. If I ran out the door in one of those tank tops, I'd bruise my knees. Those shelf bras don't have enough shelf!

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  11. Music and coffee. simple,
    non-distracting and works best when the kiddos are in school.

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  12. Coffee and water by my side. No food. Music when I need it to get in the mood. I wear sweats and t-shirts, hair always up. I write when I can, mostly every day from 2-4 upstairs on the bed with my laptop while everone is napping, and the older ones are quiet. Other than that I catch snippets here and there. I can do about 5 pages a day with that schedule.

    I also love to wear loose palazzo pants with cami's when I write. When summer really hits I'm looking forward to writing outside on the patio. But for know the big PC is in the kitchen and I have a flash disk for my laptop.

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  13. Gotta have music--preferably with no words--and a drink. Usually sweet tea. No TV too much of a distraction.

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