Whether you're writing in your journal (online or private), trying to finish a screenplay, or writing a term paper, how do you get time alone? What conditions do you need? Do you need quiet, or can you stand a little noise? Who interrupts you? Do you have a private space, or do you have to throw everyone out of the house for two hours so you can get a little peace?

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000

Answers

I've gotten into the habit of sitting down at my computer directly after dinner, while my daughter is busy doing the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen, and my husband is busy in front of his computer. I don't usually require silence, though, since I am skilled at tuning out what's going on around me. My biggest problem is the lure of Netscape, since I'm easily sidetracked by surfing.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000

Since I write in snatches during the day at work, EVERYTHING interrupts me. The phone (which only lately started to ring nonstop), people who want me to run an errand, and just plaing antsiness (is that a word?). As for free time, ha! Between my band and my job I'm starting to forget what free time feels like.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000

This is how I wind up staying up all night long ... If I don't write my journal entries first thing in the morning at work -- chances are good I won't get one up that day unless I stay up to an ungodly hour.

I don't need specific ideal conditions, when writing on the computer -- but if I'm writing in my diary -- as opposed to my journal, I need soft lamplight, a fountain pen and enough room to sprawl out on the bed.

Fiction comes and goes as it chooses. I learned a long time ago not to force it. If I try to force it, it's crap and needs to be edited and re-edited and it still doesn't shine. All of my good writing comes out in a rush, straight from the heart and rarely needs more revising than a touch of polish, regardless of time place, weather, lighting etc.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000

All I need is paper and a pen and a place to sit. I keep hardback journals so I don't even need a writing surface. I usually write on my lunch hours, when there are no interruptions, but I used to write on the bus a lot, back when I took buses, and people were always interrupting me, just because I was writing, when they wouldn't have dreamed of talking to me if I was staring out the window or reading a book. I like writing on the ferry the best because it's sort of calm and smells interesting, kind of fishy but still fresh air. I try to write every day because I think I write better that way... when I wait for inspiration, nothing happens, but if I just start writing, usually something will come to me.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000

I'm usually pretty good at extemporizing on demand for things like journal entries, which don't count. For short stories, if I have a specific idea, I can write it on demand - I just sit down and do it. It's when I don't have an idea, or when I'm working on a longer manuscript, that problems occur. Writing when I have an idea is easy and fun, and I can leave the door open, let the cat sit on my lap, let Debby interrupt me, etc. Trying to find an idea, ugh - that requires me to throw all other living creatures out of the office, sit there in utter silence, and stare at the screen for two hours without typing anything. That's why I generally write fiction only as the ideas occur, instead of on a regular schedule.

Beth, if I get someone to drop some writing challenges our way, you want to have a few little competitions? Say, half-hour sprints? I'd love to compare prose with you.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000

Oh, what a fun idea! Although I'll do a crappy job if we call it "competition." Let's call it ... uh, "comparison." It can still actually be a competition, if you like, but I have to pretend it isn't.

And that gives me an idea ... hmm ... I'll have to work on this.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000

I an a *very* structured writer. I write 5-days a week from 6:15am to 8:00am. It's quiet and I write at the computer. I forstall the surfing urge by telling myself I can surf at 8:00am. The material I write at that time is so much better than anything else that it is not even worth it to me to write at other times. Somedays I just free write, other days I work on specific portions of my book.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000

The only time I could actually write was when I had a part-time job, no girlfriend, and a rotten roommate who I hid from in my room. If I wasn't in my room writing, I was out of the house working or hiking. That was a productive six months. It happened again when I lived in a tiny apartment in Omaha Nebraska and worked at a machine shop during the day. I had nothing to do at work but think of characters and plots, then at home I'd write till bedtime. Basically I think I can't have a real ife and write at the same time. Maybe it's different for others, but that's when I write.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000

...my writing?...i have to do it somewhat on the sly --- since i update at work....what interrupts me is when someone gives me an actual project to attend to...

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000

Um, when I grow up, I want to be Kris Taylor!

I am really lucky, because my husband is an artist, and he understands the need to be alone to create something, even if what you are creating isn't Great Art. So if I wander off to the studio, he doesn't interupt me, and vice versa.

But I do find that I work best very late at night. Dark, quiet, and cold seem to help the creative process.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000

Writing is done once I get home from work, have checked my email, said "Hi" to Dave, written my journal entry, and have checked all the "Check Every Day" bookmarks (some online comics, a few journals, and other odds and ends.)

Finally I fire up the word processer and stare. And stare. And stare some more. When I do finally get something written, I print it out to save for the weekend so I can revise it while I'm at the laundromat.

Weekends are better for writing. I'll sit down, keep my hand away from the "connect" button so I won't surf, and write. Too bad weekends are too short. =/

she's actual size

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000

Since I live with my folks, I basically have the two rooms at the back of the house to myself and I lurk through there almost all the time, so I don't really have a problem with privacy, though they tend to interrupt a bit. Music of some sort is an absolute must. I find it very hard to come up with anything without some sort of ambient sound going on in the background. The main difficulty I have is finding something to write about; if I have a topic then I just take whatever time is needed to do the writing. Once I do have a subject and know what I want to say about it, though, it doesn't usually take long to pull off.

Tonight We Sleep In Separate Ditches

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2000

I end up sneaking in the time to write throughout the day. I also write on whatever piece of paper is nearest to me. So consequently I have strange pieces of paper floating around with my thoughts on them. It can be embarrassing when co-workers find them lying around (I'm also very forgetful).

Ideally, I like writing at night, alone in my bedroom, on my bed, lying on my stomach with some music. Libraries are good to write in too.

I also like to write during meetings. It makes me look like I'm industrious when I'm really writing about how the guy next to me has a funny shirt on or some lurid sexual fantasy about him.

Second Avenue Fandango

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2000

Deadlines. I need deadlines. I'm a horrible procrastinator, and I definitely need that feeling of urgency to get any real writing done. My mother used to refer to it as my "panic button" - as in "why aren't you panicking already!". But amazingly enough, the things I write under pressure inevitably turn out better. I think I just need that sense of immersion in a topic to make it come alive.

-- Anonymous, February 06, 2000