writing101 – Page 3 – Linda Nelson

Every night I go to my little cubby hole, I call my office. There I will attempt to write, surf the internet looking for ideas, check emails, social media, and possible play a computer game of some sort. The dogs keep me company. The little dog, Keelaa, makes sure I take my breaks from writing. I think she has an egg timer hiding somewhere that only she knows about it. We have to stop to play a game of tug. Then there is the receiving of a chew toy of some type. She prefers rawhide chews.

[media-credit id=1 align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]In my office, I use a desktop. I do have a laptop, but I stopped using that so much ever since Keelaa came along a year ago. I used to use it in the living room, but I’m afraid the pup will use it for a launch or landing pad as she catapults herself across the couch. Now, I save the laptop for travel, especially when I go to a writing function and have to stay overnight.

[media-credit id=1 align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]Sometimes I’m productive. I’ve learned how to put the dogs to sleep. That happens when I put Celtic music on to help me get into the zone for writing fantasy. They don’t sleep so well when I put Today’s Top Hits on, for writing Young Adult Contemporary. I always have to have some sort of background noise when I write. It can’t be perfectly quiet. Even when I was in school, I couldn’t do my homework or study without having either the radio or the tv on.

Most times, it’s night time when I go and work in my office, Monday through Friday. On the weekend, I tend to start writing by 7 am. The reason I don’t start writing at that point in the morning during the weekdays is because I have a regular 7-3 job. Yup, I work in a factory making things. Sometimes I will either weave fabric, sew fabric, or put parts together. I like my day job. I like the people I work with. I think I would be hard pressed ever to give it up, because of them.

I don’t just use a computer to write. Many times I will jot things down on scrap pieces of paper, even when I’m at work. If an idea comes to me, I have to capture it before it is lost in the abyss of the mind. That is where the pens and pencils come in. I make my own notebooks up with blank cardstock that I can print a cover design on. This I fill with lined paper and use brass fasteners to hold it all together.

My ideal space would have everything I need in a day, right there in my office. Unfortunately, I lack the room. A small refrigerator for cold drinks would be nice. Room for exercise equipment would be nice too. Then there needs to be storage space for all the manuscript files and don’t forget bookshelves for all those books I need to read.

Someday, I’ll be able to have an office like that. For now, I’m happy the way things are.

“If you really want to do something you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” #motivation #quotes pic.twitter.com/OYneZNLswT

— Andreea- DailyFitHit (@dailyfithit) September 10, 2015

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It doesn’t matter what you’re trying to do, but if you want it bad enough, you’ll find a way to acquire it. A drug addict will always find a way to get that next fix. An alcoholic will find a way to get that next drink. Same goes for the smoker. I know, I quit smoking ten years ago cold turkey. I did this by eliminating one cigarette a day each week until I was down to one a day. That was when I wondered why I was even bothering to light one up.
I think there has to be a need to have a want. You can want something, but that doesn’t always guarantee that you’re going to get it. But if the need is stronger than the want, it acts like magic. – Maybe it is Magic!
Same goes for writing. There’s writer’s block, I do know that, but then there’s the other writer’s block from lack of motivation. I think the lack of motivation is a form of lack of confidence. When we write every day and put our words out for others to read, that’s how our confidence begins to build. It’s one of the main reasons why I believe all writers should blog at least once a week.

You say you’re on Social Media. That’s fine, but are you afraid of your writing being read by millions of people? The thought of this does make me a bit squeamish at times. You’re center stage and the spotlight is on you when someone not only buys your book but reads it. This is when your left wondering, did they like it?
Blogging can help overcome this feeling and build your confidence. You won’t get a lot of readers right off the bat. I think this can be a bonus. A blog can be your playground. You can use it to try new ways of writing. Play with writing prompts and see where they take you. Use it for a writing journal and make friends in the process.
It’s not always about trying to attract new readers. They will appear as your skill with writing grows stronger. You’ll lose your awkwardness with words and become less – let’s say – shy – would be the word.
I’m one of those quiet types. I try to listen to those around me and learn. As I get to know a person better, I become more comfortable with them and begin to interact more.
Writing is the same too. The more you are comfortable doing what you’re doing, the more likely you will do it every day.
I’ve been blogging much more since I moved my site. I feel the need since I am paying for this service; I’d better be using it. At work, I’ve found myself interacting with my co-workers more too. So the confidence level is growing not only in my writing but also in my ability to communicate with other individuals.

The point is, I wanted to write more and found a way to motivate myself to do so. I may not be working on my work in progress at this time, but I am writing, none the less. My goal by the end of the month is to be writing a post every day. Maybe my next post will lead me to a brainstorming session or an ah-ha moment, and I’ll come up with the next event of my story. I do have a lot of plot holes to get rid of, it’s going to need a lot of work. For now, I’ll use my post to keep me motivated and fuel my need to write because I want to finish this manuscript.