This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
How about a change of scenery? Not the scenery inside your current story, I’m talking about the stuff that surrounds you while you work. Your internal landscape (your ‘head space’) is undoubtedly important for creative flow and productivity, but your external environment can have a huge impact, too.
First – identify your problem. (Don’t have a problem, words are flowing beautifully? Pat yourself on the back and bookmark this article for when things take a nosedive).
Are you finding it difficult to focus? Are you checking email and Twitter every five minutes? Perhaps you’re reading this after an hour of surfing author blogs and looking at pretty things on Etsy… If so, consider getting away from the internet.
You can, of course, unplug your internet or use software such as Freedom, but for a real kick-start I’d recommend physically moving somewhere without even the possibility of the web: A café that doesn’t have Wi-Fi, the bottom of the garden, the beach.
If you’re not continually distracted and suffering more from a general feeling of ‘meh’, try mixing up your routine a little. Write in a different room of the house or at a friend’s house. Try a café or library and use a notebook instead of a laptop or vice versa. Meet up with other writers and write alongside them for support. Make sure you choose somewhere comfortable and pleasant and make the experience a treat, not a punishment.
If you don’t want (or can’t) move your work area, then you can primp it a little. Take a moment to look around you right now. What do you see? Is your desk overflowing with papers and used cups? Does the area look unloved and untidy? If you aren’t paying proper care and attention to your writing space you are sending yourself a powerful message that it isn’t important.
If you have room above your computer, consider sticking up some inspirational pictures or quotes. Some writers like to keep their work area free from distractions, while others like to surround themselves with family photos and mementos which make them feel secure and happy. Trust your gut and either add or remove to suit your own preferences.
Are you sitting comfortably? Is your desk and screen at the right height? No, seriously… Are you sitting in a back-and-wrist friendly manner with a supportive seat and good posture. RSI is no joke.
You might feel that it’s self-indulgent to spend time making your work space inspiring, inviting and comfortable, or that it’s a waste of money to go to a café when you could work at home, but the benefits go far beyond the change of external scenery. You will be sending a clear message to your subconscious that your writing is important to your life and well-being, and that you place value on the creative process. And that, as the advert goes, is priceless.
[Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos]