Place, time, and tools for writing

Some writers work best in pen and ink, sprawled on their beds in the afternoon, with a pet snoozing on the blankets nearby. Others rely upon 8 A.M., a hard chair, a clean table, and a handful of Number 2 pencils sharpened to needle points, or upon the blinking amber or green light of a word processor at midnight. Legal-sized pads help some writers produce, while others feel motivated by a spiral notebook with a picture of a mountain stream on the cover. Only you can determine which place, time, and tools give you the best support as a writer.

The place where you write is extremely important. If you are writing in a computer lab, you have to adapt to that place, but if you write a draft in longhand, on a typewriter, or on your own word processor, you can choose the place yourself. In selecting a place, keep the following tips in mind:

• Keep distractions minimal. Some people simply can't write in the itchen, where the refrigerator is distractingly close, or in a room hat has a TV in it. On the other hand, a public place — a library, an empty classroom, a cafeteria — can be fine as long as the activity does not disturb you.
• Control interruptions. If you can close the door to your room and work without interruptions, fine. But even then, other people often assume that you want to take a break when they do. So choose a place where you can decide when it's time to take a break.
• Have access to notes, journal, textbooks, sources, and other materials. If the place is totally quiet but you don't have room to work or you don't have access to important notes or sources, you still may not make much progress. Whatever you need—a desk to spread your work out on, access to notes and sources, a pencil sharpener — make sure your place has it.

The time of day you write and the tools you write with can also affect your attitude and efficiency. Some people like to write early in the morning, before their busy day starts; others like to write in the evening, after classes or work. Whatever time you choose, try to write regularly—at least three days a week—at about the same time. If you're trying to get in shape by jogging, swimming, or doing aerobics, you wouldn't exercise for five straight hours on Monday and then take four days off. Writing, like exercise, requires regular practice and conditioning.

Your writing tools — pen, pencil, paper, legal pads, four- by six-inch notecards, notebooks, computer — should also be comfortable for you. Some writers like to make notes with pencil and paper and write their draft on a computer; some like to do all their composing on the computer. As you try different combinations of tools, be aware of how you feel and whether your tools make you more effective. If you feel comfortable, it will be easier to establish rituals that lead to regular practice.

Rituals are important because they help you with the most difficult part of writing — getting started. So use your familiar place, time, and tools to trick yourself into getting some words down on paper. Your mind will devise clever schemes to avoid writing those first ten words — watching TV, balancing your checkbook, drinking some more coffee, or calling a friend and whining together about all the writing you have to do. But if your body has been through the ritual before, it will walk calmly to your favorite place, where all your tools are ready, bringing the mind kicking and screaming all the way. Then, after you get the first ten words down, the mind will say, "Hey, this isn't so bad — I've got something to say about that!" And off you'll go. Each time you perform your writing ritual, the next time you write will be that much easier. Soon, your ritual will let you know: "This is where you write. This is when you write. This is what you write with." No fooling around. Just writing.