# Environment is everything



## Codey Amprim (Nov 18, 2011)

By environment, I mean where the writer is when he stares into the glaring white screen or at the lines of a notebook. This isn't a thread of asking whether or not it matters, because it most certainly does. 

I'm unfortunately stuck in a lease for a college house full of... anuses (if you catch my drift, and no pun intended... okay, perhaps a little). It has come to my attention multiple times that I'll never be anything, never be a writer. I haven't even touched my first draft in progress for about two months now, and I feel as if I'm never going to be able to finish a chapter. I know what I'm going to write, I just feel that I can't.

But then I came to a realization, it's my environment that's making me feel this way. I want to know where you all are when you write.

Is this hiatus of writing going to kill my writer's spirit? Have any of you taken a long break from a work? At this rate, I don't think I'll finish another paragraph, let alone a chapter due to my environment. I'm afraid that the work itself won't be good if I am not in a comfortable mood.

How do you feel about where you write? Does it affect your work? 

Thanks


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Nov 18, 2011)

I write at my computer at home. It's situated in our office (my wife and I each have a desk). It's actually part of a big open room, connected to the family room; I write best when there's no one else here, or at least when the kids aren't here. For me, getting writing done depends on not being interrupted a lot. I can take sporadic interruptions just fine, but when I might only get to write for 30 seconds (no joke) before someone asks me for food, there's just no point, and I end up doing other things where interruptions matter less.

You don't necessarily need to be away from other people, you just need somewhere that people won't interrupt you. If you have a laptop--I know this is clichÃ©--you can take it to Starbucks, put in your headphones, and listen to some classical/instrumental/soundtrack music while you're writing there. None of the other patrons will likely bother you, especially if you have headphones on. Libraries are good for this, too.

The one essential thing for being a writer is to put your butt in the chair and write. You can have talent, great ideas, witty writing, beautiful prose, but without persistence, you cannot be a writer. If it's something you _really want_ to do, then you will find a way to do it.


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## CharlieDay (Nov 18, 2011)

Codey,

I completely feel your pain.  I spent 5 years in college, and each year lived in a different house with between 3 and 5 roommates.  I went to school at Ohio State in downtown Columbus, a large city bustling with distractions.  I always told myself today is the day that I will begin my story, and it just never happened.  I think the main problem wasnt the noise or being interrupted, it was the feeling of why would I sit down and write my story when I could go downstairs and hang out with my friends, go to the bar, grab a bit to eat, go to the movies, etc, etc.  Every time I sat down to begin writing I would be back on my feet 5 mins later and joining in the fun (and trust me, every day we had a blast).  At a certain point I just gave in and succumbed to the fact that I would never get anything done until I graduated and got away from it all.

Now I have been out of college for 2 years, living in an apartment in the country with my girlfriend.  I have finished 1 book, and I am about half way done with my second.  I have all the time in the world now to focus on my stories, and it is great.  But trust me, not a day goes by that I dont wish I could go back to the good times I had in college.  I wouldn't have given it up for anything.  

So my advice to you: If you wish to write, do what Benjamin says and get out of the house.  But if you are like me and have a weak willpower just have a blast and don't worry so much about writing, you have your whole life ahead of you for that!


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## Kit (Nov 18, 2011)

When I was in college, I absolutely could not get anything productive done at home. I finally had to force myself to go into the city a few hours early every day and work on campus- a study room, quiet hallway, anywhere but at home where there were just too many distractions.


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## Sheilawisz (Nov 18, 2011)

Hello Codey =) I write at home in my personal bedroom, where I have all my energy, my stuff, my colours, my music and everything that helps me to focus and get into the zone... It's really really important that you feel comfortable when you sit down and write your stories, so you need to find a place like Benjamin says where you feel good so you can write better

It's absolutely true that persistence and discipline are crucial and without them you can never finish a novel- I have been pressing myself to write many times because I have my own deadlines to finish works, and I can tell you that with experience you start to get used to it and it becomes a part of being a writer =)

Your writer's spirit will survive even if you take long breaks from writing... well, my best wishes for your writing!!

Sheila


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## Paul (Nov 18, 2011)

I absolutely agree with everthing you all said. 
 I stay with my parents and my siblings (i've just graduated from high school) and in the day, the house is a bustle of activities-which is a distraction on its own part.
  In order to handle this, i began to write at night-this helped a lot.
  The enviroment a writer finds himself or herself will weaken or strenghten the writer's  spirit.
  But with patience and focus, you can summount every barrier.


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## Elder the Dwarf (Nov 18, 2011)

I write on my laptop either in my bed room or in the central room of the upstairs portion of the house.  I'm always either watching tv or listening to music.  That being said, I'm not the most productive person.


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## Legendary Sidekick (Nov 18, 2011)

Benjamin Clayborne said:


> If you have a laptop--I know this is clichÃ©--you can take it to Starbucks


Right, but what you _can't_ do is take it to the Starbucks at the hospital where your 40-weeks-pregnant wife could deliver your first-born any minute!--especially when, after writing 6,000 words then wondering if your wife is still napping because she hasn't called you yet, you discover there's no cell phone reception, and you slam your laptop shut and run to the elevator praying that you didn't miss the big moment.

Um... not that I did something that idiotic while writing my book or anything. Just a... um... _hypothetical_ example to demonstrate how writing at Starbucks is a great way to avoid distractions.


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## Solomon Tan (Nov 18, 2011)

For me, I had been using technology to help me write and find inspirations.. I use my iPhone actually and I write down anything i thought of in the notes apps. Then, I will review it and put it into my laptop. 

Actually what i heard from many writers is that, they will bring a small book, or notepad or even a few A4 sized paper out and just jolt or draw whatever came into their mind, or whatever is happening around them. 

If you can't sit down and write for hours, it's ok. I can't. and I just write small parts and pieces and in the end, do it like jigsaw puzzle, do some editing here and there.. and you got what you want to write about.


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## Devor (Nov 18, 2011)

Your internet friends are the ones who matter most, everyone knows that.... 

In this case it's just a little true.  Nobody can know if you're a good writer unless you've "let them in," so to speak, on what your writing looks like.  Even then, it's hard to know how your abilities and your writing project will grow going forward.  So don't sweat what a bunch of "anuses" have to say about your writing and just enjoy the other more positive qualities your situation has to offer.

I will say this, it's going to be hard to find time to write in your situation, and probably as long as you're in college.  Starbucks is great, there was a Cosi by my school that had better furniture, but you might want to accept smaller benchmarks for the time being.


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## Kit (Nov 19, 2011)

Codey Amprim said:


> I'm afraid that the work itself won't be good if I am not in a comfortable mood.
> Thanks



This is a very common problem all on its own. Feeling that you have to be IN THE ZONE, or wait for the creative muse to grab you by the lapels, in order to write. Somewhere recently, I read the following in regard to that: "Mood is something the cow did" Which is stupid, but it cracked me up, and now I say that to myself if I'm ever making excuses because I feel like I'm not in the right headspace to write. Just write anyway.


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Nov 19, 2011)

Yeah. You get into the zone by starting to write, when you're not in the zone. Generally this means that the first couple of pages you write won't be as good, but that's what rewrites are for.


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## Kelise (Nov 19, 2011)

This is why a lot of people need to write in a routine. Whether they write at the same time in the morning, or the evening, or after a certain event (after dinner and a cup of tea when they're content and full) or something similar.

They may need to make a set of music that gets them in the mood, or they need to read over and fix a few words of the last few paragraphs they wrote the night before... and so on.

Most writers have to do SOMETHING to get themselves in the zone fast. I don't think anyone can write unless they're comfortable


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## Shadoe (Nov 19, 2011)

Right now, I am sitting on the edge of an air mattress on the floor. My laptotp is sitting on top of an upside-down microwave box. I have written about 100,000 words this way so far in the last couple months.

Other places I have written:

In a corner of the busy lunch room at work where people ask a dozen times "What'cha writing?"

In bits and snatches written on a folded piece of paper I kept in my pocket while working in a factory, watching giant rolls of paper go through a machine, waiting for said machine to screw up so I could fix it.

On my desk at work when thoughts occur to me in between detailing how to test and clean a turbine, a circuit breaker or a relay.

Sitting on my couch at home, while my son watches tv.

Cross-legged on a bed with my computer on a pillow while staying in a hotel that was apparently hosting woodstock, if the noise outside my door was anything to go by.

Sitting on the floor in an airport, and on an airplane.

None of these are ideal situations. But they work because I decided to make them work. There was a time in my life when I wanted to write, but I could only write under ideal situations and with ideal ideas to write about. I never wrote anything in those days. Now I decide to write whereever I can get some words down. And I'm a writing maniac.

If you want to write, write. If you want to go do other things, then do those things. But don't say "I want to write but I can't because (fill in any external stimulii you want)." If you want to write, you will find a way to manage it.

And there are a dozen things you can do to make it easier on yourself. Go to a library, a train station, a starbucks, a classroom. Write on a computer, in a notebook, on McDonalds bags. Play loud music, or put on headphones with Chopin. Ignore what people say. Ignore what they do around you. Do what *you *need to do.


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## Kit (Nov 19, 2011)

Shadoe said:


> In a corner of the busy lunch room at work where people ask a dozen times "What'cha writing?"



Ooooo, I hate that. I hate that when I'm trying to READ, too. That's where earbuds come in handy. They don't even have to be attached to anything. I put them on and stick the loose end in my pocket.


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## Shadoe (Nov 19, 2011)

I never thought of that. I'd usually just growl at them.


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## InsanityStrickenWriter (Nov 19, 2011)

I've been doing most of my writing in school recently- which isn't much  It's not a useful enviroment to work in, as apart from mates wanting to _talk_, (how inconsiderate!), one mate also has the tendency to nick my notepad and try to read it. Luckily my handwriting is illegible but still...


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## Liu Xaun (Nov 19, 2011)

I was at my most active last year, when I had to wait in a Tim Horton's for an hour and a half before school. Ideas just flowed from there.


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## Codey Amprim (Nov 20, 2011)

Thank you all for the helpful advice. Cheered me up a bit after reading all that xD

Now... if Word will open... I have myself some catching up to do.

Oh, and a side note, I'm starting a "Student Authors Association" at my college. Hopefully I'll meet some people in the same boat!


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## Shadoe (Nov 20, 2011)

Excellent idea!

Don't give up!


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## Erica (Nov 28, 2011)

I write at my computer at home. I'm lucky in that my husband is supportive about my writing (of course, he has his own computer so we don't have to fight over computer time). I feel very bad for you, because being in a toxic environment would sap anyone's creativity.

I don't know why some people have to be such jerks (though I make educated guesses when I write them into stories). Maybe they're jealous that you're doing something productive with your free time instead of simply playing computer games, watching sports or drinking or whatever it is they do, but that's probably simplistic. Some people are just mean. I'd suggest trying to spend as much time as possible away from your 'anus' room mates and seeking out the company of like minded people. Is there a local writer's club you can join? If you're in a college environment, there may be a creative writing club, but many communities have writers' groups as well.

Do you have a laptop? If you do, finding some safe place away from your roomies to write might work. I'd never be able to concentrate in a coffee shop (the place where all the 'cool' writers are supposed to go), but maybe a deserted corner of a library or some such place would work. Yes, it is possible to take time away from writing and come back refreshed. It is also popular to start writing late in life (many successful writers have). But if you're burning to write, it's a shame to not do it.


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