My host made several suggestions for possible topics to write about. (Thank you!) I considered talking about things I would never write about. But “never” is a strong word, and I just know if I say “I, Zoe Winters, will NEVER write about FILL IN BLANK”, that’s almost a guarantee that some day I will write about it. Then someone will say: “But Zoe, you said never!”, and I’m just a big liar.

So, I decided to talk about getting into the groove of writing. Some writers have a lot of fancy rituals that they use before they write. Maybe they need certain music playing or they have to be in a certain room of the house or at a certain other location like a cafe or library. Some writers have to write at a certain point of the day: when they first wake up, or on their lunch, or late at night when everybody’s asleep. Some writers take a walk first (which would probably be a great idea that I should implement).  Some line up all their pencils and pens or clean off their desks or computer desktops.

I tend to be someone who just opens up the document and starts writing. Actually, I take that back.  I look at my outline and read the previous day’s words first. If I just start writing, I’ll stare all day at the screen because I forget my own writing voice on a day-to-day basis, which is ridiculous because it’s not like it’s that far from my normal everyday voice. But I feel like I forget how to write, and I’m terrified it won’t come back to me.

If I read the previous day’s words first, I see a little thing here or there to fix. Maybe a line or sentence to add, maybe something small to delete (though I don’t delete much in rough draft; it kills my word count, which is depressing when you’re trying to barrel through a first draft and have a target word count goal). This tiny tweaking and rereading helps get me back into the zone and usually I’m ready to start writing after that.

I can write anywhere. Inside or outside, though for outside it either has to be partially dark or I have to be writing longhand, due to the way sunlight and backlighting don’t work together. If they ever come up with an e-ink laptop, I’m going to be in writer heaven. Write and work on my tan? Yes, please. I can write in any room of the house, at any location, background noise or quiet. I can write in a box or while folding socks or on a train or in the rain. (Just kidding about that last sentence. I was just sounding like Dr. Seuss there for a minute.)

I usually don’t write with music, though sometimes I do. But the music can’t have lyrics. It must be strictly instrumental. When I do use music, I try to go for something that sets a tone and matches the mood of what I’m writing.  I used to write longhand and on an old-fashioned typewriter, but when I became more interested in actually finishing books in a timely manner, I switched to composing rough draft on the computer.

The biggest challenge for me is just opening the document. I’ll spend endless amounts of time on Twitter and Facebook and email, doing anything online I can think of to avoid writing. One of the reasons I shut down blog comments on my blog was actually to lessen the time I spend procrastinating. I have no idea why I’m so scared to start. Everything always goes fine once I open the document and just go through my routine of getting caught up on the outline and reading the previous day’s notes.

I like writing. Writing is fun. I’m not just one of those writers who likes “having written”. I love the act of writing itself. The creation and discovery. But I still always get a little bit of... I guess the writer equivalent of stage fright every time I start. If I can get to the point of closing down Twitter (or whatever) and opening up the document, everything else is gravy.


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