Chill

Hey guys! Welcome back to Too Many Books to Count! I’m glad you stopped by again, during such a busy week. I think you’ll like what I have to say, today.

All month long, since it’s NaNoWriMo, we’re talking about ways that I’ve gotten myself into the writing zone, to make sure I keep writing, no matter what. We’ve talked about things like ASMR and soundtracks, to help get our minds in the zone, and we’ve discussed the pros and cons behind the television, when we’re trying to write. But today, because it’s such a busy week, I thought I’d talk about one of my favorite methods.

#5: Get Comfy

Of course, you don’t want to get too comfy, but please, get comfy.

It’s one of the biggest pros of being a writer, in general. We work from home. Nobody sees us. We can be in our jammies all day, and no one is ever the wiser. (it’s the same for editors, if they let you work at home ;-))

And it’s also one of the things I’m highly inclined to use, when it comes to getting myself in the zone.

But how do we do this? I know, after all, that it’s not always so easy.

First thing’s first:
Clothing

Put on something that isn’t restrictive. I don’t recommend jeans, when you’re trying to write. I don’t know what it is, but I swear they’re not conducive to getting those creative juices flowing. If you want to get a mass of words out today, I highly recommend putting on some comfy clothes. Whether that’s your jammies, a pair of sweats, or a bath robe—that’s entirely up to you. But get yourself comfy, so there won’t be any distractions from the articles of clothing adorning you.

Second thing’s second:
Space

It’s easier to write in some places than it is in others. It also entirely depends on the writer, as to what places are easier or harder. So you’ll have to do some experimentation, in order to figure this one out. For me, I write best in one of two places. Either a classroom (which, I know, prohibits the comfy clothes option) or my bedroom (perfect for comfy clothes). I don’t know what it is, but sometimes a lecture is just what I need, to get those juices flowing. Find a place that’s not going to distract you, a place that will lend itself to getting those words on the page. Props if your space allows you to be comfy as well!

Third thing’s third:
Position

Do not—I repeat, do not—make yourself into a pretzel while you’re writing. The last thing you need is both feet falling asleep while you’re trying to write. Don’t do it. Make sure you’re in a position where your blood is freely flowing, where nothing’s going to distract you and tear you away from your work to fix what you shouldn’t have done to yourself. Don’t hold your neck at a weird angle, either. And if you haven’t already, figure out something to block the blue light from your computer screen. It’ll make things easier on your eyes, which makes it easier to stay in that nice, comfy position.

See why it’s one of my favorite topics? See?!

The hardest part is making sure you’re not so comfy that you fall asleep. Balance is the key. But isn’t it always? ;-)

[love]

{Rani Divine}

Power On

Hey guys, and welcome back to Too Many Books to Count! I’m glad you stopped in to see what we’re chatting about today. If you read Tuesdays post, you’ll probably find this one amusing.

See, all month long we’re talking about ways to get in the zone with your writing. Ways to stop yourself from being distracted. Ways to keep yourself writing and prevent yourself from doing whatever else. So, so far, we’ve started listening to ASMR videos, we’ve found the soundtracks to our writing, and we’ve turned the television off.

Now, let’s turn it back on.

#4: Watch Something You’ve Seen a Million Times

I know, I know, I literally just told you to turn the thing off. But there are some times when we really need it on. And I know that a lot of you will actually disagree with me here, but if you do, then that’s okay. This post probably isn’t for you.

Some of us, me included, occasionally write better when we have something on in the background—as long as that something is something we’ve seen a million times before, and therefore don’t have to pay attention to.

For me, this is one of two things. Stargate or The Village. Why? Because I’ve seen them a lot, I love them, but I don’t have to pay attention to know what’s going on in that story. Which means I can do my own thing while it’s on, and it’s not a big deal.

I’m honestly not sure why this works, or what it is about just having something on in the background, but for some of us, at certain times, it’s just amazing.

There are times, especially when I’ve been insanely busy and have been pounding out more words than usual, that I just need to have a little bit of a distraction, but one I know I can ignore in a couple minutes. In those times, if I put Stargate on, I know there will be times when I want to look up and see what’s going on, to be a part of this specific scene, but that in two more minutes I can look back at my work and get back to it.

It’s brilliant. It’s amazing. And especially during NaNoWriMo, I think it might be extremely helpful for all of you.

So try it out. But only if you’re the type of person who can handle a little bit of a distraction, because, if you’re not, this will only make your life more difficult.

Trust me. I know. Because I’m both kinds of people. Yep.

[love]

{Rani Divine}

Into Oblivion

Hey guys, and welcome back to Too Many Books to Count! I’m glad you stopped by. :)

All month long, since it’s NaNoWriMo, we’re talking about ways to get in the zone and get that writing done. You know, so you’ll actually have a shot at writing 50,000 words in a month (which, by the way, I used to do every month, which explains why I've never actually participated in NaNoWriMo). Since I write a lot, and I have many methods in making sure I get my writing time in, I thought this might be a useful series for you all.

Thus far, we’ve talked about watching or listening to ASMR videos online, and listening to epic (or soundtrack) music as the score to your writing. Today, I’ll accent that a bit.

#3: Turn off the TV

No, really. Turn it off. Right now. Go do it. You don’t need the TV on while you’re writing.

Know why?

Because the human brain is wired to look at whatever is moving. If there’s a bug crawling around on the wall, your eyes will gravitate toward it as the thing that’s moving around. The same concept applies to the television, which is why so many people get completely glued to the thing.

Most of us really can’t get enough writing done if the TV is on, because instead of writing, we’re staring at the television. That’s not okay. So, right now, get up and turn that television off. Yeah, it might annoy the rest of your family. That’s okay, they can be annoyed at you for a month. 

If the television is on, your ASMR and your soundtracks won't be able to help you. 

Thing is, especially during novel writing month, you can’t afford to be distracted. That's why I picked out some things for you to listen to, to help you stay in the zone once you get there. But really, you can’t afford to be distracted anyway. This is your writing time, time when you’re not supposed to be watching TV or staring into oblivion, but writing.

So, why is the TV on anyway?

I know, I know, it’s an automatic response for most of us. We hit a certain time of day, and we reach for the remote. But if we’re going to be more productive, if we’re going to get all our words in for the day, it really is better if we change some of those habits.

It’s time to turn off the television and write.

If you want to get serious about writing, then get serious. Turn the TV off. Get rid of the distractions and thrive in the things that get you into the zone. Allow yourself to freely write and explore in the new world you’re creating.

That, my friends, is one of the most important things you can do this month.

[love]

{Rani Divine}