Writing at home

[Fyle]

So, what I have noticed over the past year is that, all my writing has been done at work. When I have slow days workwise I literally write from 7:30 to 4:30, with few breaks and I am totally focused.

When I am at home, I really have difficulty getting motivated. I can listen to music while I write and that helps, but, still, the motivation is low.

Anyone have similar issues?

 

[ThinkerX]

Ok...gotta ask...what do you do for a living?

 

[Asura Levi]

Same here. I produced way more when I had a work that allowed me to write. At home, it is quite hard. If I go to a pub instead, then I can actually do something.

 

[Ryan_Crown]

I've also found I do a lot of my writing at work (joys of working tech support -- if the phone isn't ringing, I'm free to work on whatever I want). I still write some at home as well, but the problem I have is that by the time I get settled for the evening and have time to write, it's usually late in the evening. Nothing worse than looking at the clock just as you're really getting into your writing, only to see that you should have gone to bed an hour ago.

 

[Julian S Bartz]

I wrote about 70% of my second book at work. On slow days or in between tasks. Doesn't always work, but when you can do it, it is fantastic. I imagine it is what it is like to be a proper 'paid' writer

I find it did make writing at home a little harder, but mainly because I had already written so much at work. If you are finding it hard to do some writing at home, maybe try just doing short blocks. Like setting yourself a 1 hour target. Or 500 words. You will probably find eventually you will get back into the rhythm and forget about your target.

 

[Penpilot]

Anyone have similar issues?

Whether we like it or not, our minds associated certain things with certain places. When you sit down at work, your brain is tuned to that space being work space, so you work. Whether that's writing, or actual work, it doesn't matter. Your brain is ready to go.

Home is generally where we let down our guard and relax. Home space gets associated with kick up your heels and veg out.

I found that to be more productive, I have to leave the house. I go to McDonalds, the mall, the library. The more I go to these places, the more they get associated with writing. When I sit down, I'm mentally ready to go.

IMHO if you can't leave the house, make a writing space for yourself and only write in that spot. Don't eat. Don't surf. Just write in that spot. Make that the space where you plug into the writing mojo.

 

[skip.knox]

Yup. What Penpilot says. I have the luxury of having an entire room and it's in the basement. It has the further luxury of having lousy wi-fi. It's where I write. I don't write elsewhere and I don't do much of anything else there.

I still manage to fiddle and procrastinate, but I'm a resourceful devil in that regard!

 

[Fyle]

Ok...gotta ask...what do you do for a living?

I'm an English teacher. If I have few classes I just write almost every spare minute. On average, 4-5 hours a day. On a good day 6-9 hours.

So, in a way, I do get paid to write!

 

[Chessie]

Well, awesome for you that you're able to do that! Totes jealous here.

I do 90% of my writing at home. First of all, I'm a recluse by nature. Second, I live in a quiet cabin in the mountains with plenty of places where I can sit and work. I'm more productive when I write on my tablet, but that's because its been set up as my designated writing device. Sometimes I work on the desktop, but that's too distracting with Skyrim and the internet around.

I like to write at home because we have an office, there's our adorable cats here, a two story deck where I can sit in the sun and be inspired by nature. Being at our house is like going camping. But I do get the bug to write at new places sometimes, so I go to coffee shops or sometimes the mall. My favorite spot is the cafe inside the public library (the library itself has an issue with homeless drunks hanging out there and its so very distracting).

I work at a yoga studio/Ayurveda clinic which is quiet and beautiful, so I sometimes do a bit of writing in between classes/clients. I'm less productive in that setting though, since my mind is focused on work.

 

[JoiceArcher]

For me it is the other way around. I study economics and teach students in economic subjects myself, so most of my time is spent in classrooms, canteens or libraries. Like Fyle, I get paid to write too But I noticed that I simply cannot work on my writing at university, neither essays or stories. Funny that academic places don't give me the inspiration I need I cannot have people around me.

Instead I decorated a nice study a few months ago, a lovely room in the back of the house, a place to concentrate with all books in place, nice paintings, even a coffee machine. Its a lovely room but I simply don't use it.
Instead I sit in the dining room and have the best ideas here (am sitting there now too ) .

 

[SM-Dreamer]

I do a lot of writing by hand at work, which is usually the beginning to the first draft (or if I finish it, the entire first draft) for whatever project I'm working on. Some days I can write for a couple hours at work, though it depends.

However, I don't have once place that I write. I don't write more at home or at work; I just write whenever I find the time, wherever I happen to be.

 

[Philip Overby]

I pretty much exclusively write at home, but then again, I don't have many distractions here. My wife and I have an understanding (one I've told anyone when we start dating) that a lot of my hobbies and activities involve me sitting by myself for a long period of time. I just say, "OK, I'm going to get some writing done for a bit" and everything is cool. Sometimes even if I'm slacking, she'll tell me to get some writing in. So for me, it's great to have someone who is supportive. I usually spend 30 minutes to an hour every single day writing, so it's not like I'm locking myself in a room all day. I found out recently that writing a little bit each day is infinitely more valuable to me than writing for a long time on weekends. Whatever works.

 

[Bruce McKnight]

I also find it challenging to motivate myself at home. My best writing, in terms of productivity, comes when I'm on the bus going to and from work.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

One thing I have learned from this thread? - I need a new job!!!

Cheers, Greg.