General suggestions for writers
I assume that since you’re here, you should be at least slightly curious about writing, so here’s my take on it.
Now, everyone has different writing habits, so don’t think there’s a model which fits all; there isn’t. I’m simply going to mention some guidelines and suggestions. For me, one of the most important things is a time and place for writing. I have a bedroom all to myself, so I can easily close the door and lock out the world, until someone barges in anyway. There’s a little desk, made with a native hardwood of New Zealand, and it’s full of dents from all those times I’ve dropped things on it. There are four drawers for my stationery, so I don’t have to search everywhere for paper. On top of the desk there’s a desk lamp, a memo cube, and two pen-holders with lots and lots of pens.
My desk faces the wall, on which I have put inspirational pictures and posters. I don’t usually look at them with great attention, but they’re something to stare at and inspect when I run out of ideas. It’s a small and simple space, but it works as a workstation. A nice chair also helps. You don’t want your butt to go numb while you’re writing because that is very distracting. I have one of those spinning office chairs, which does sort of make me spin around aimlessly sometimes when I don't have much to say. The best thing about my workstation is that I’m comfortable with it, and I don’t usually get distracted, unless there’s a shouting match going on outside or something. Sometimes, the train passing behind the house can shake the entire building, but I can ignore that. The thing is, to write, you need a set space where you can do your writing, and it should be a place in which you feel secure, and where you can focus.
It usually helps if the desk is cleared of clutter. I’m guilty of having a messy desktop, I admit. I have a habit of leaving everything lying around, but when I write, I just have to dump everything on the floor so that I have room and a flat surface. It’s hard to write when there are about half a dozen books underneath your notebook/notepad/sheet of paper. You just can’t make yourself comfortable that way. Plus, if the desk is messy, it’s so easy to lose sheets of your manuscript, and you spend ages searching for them. It’s all about comfort and practicality.
Some people prefer writing straight onto their computer. That's fine too. I've done that sometimes. However, typing lacks the intimacy of actually taking a pen and creating pretty little squiggles on a page. Plus, if your computer stops working, it creates a huge problem.
Different people have different times for writing. I used to write late at night, and during the small hours of the day. This resulted in lots of sleeping in. Since I am a student, I can’t really afford to sleep in except for the weekends, so I put a bit of effort into changing my daily rhythm. If it’s on a day which I have class, I get up at about 5:40 am to write for an hour or so (after a mug of hot chocolate or coffee or whatnot). That way, I can make sure that I specifically set aside time for my writing each day, and get everything else done as well. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it. The atmosphere late at night and early in the morning seems perfect for me, because everything is quiet and still, and dark. Some people prefer writing in the afternoon, or in the evening after dinner. The main thing is, set aside an adequate amount of time every day for writing, even if it is only five or ten minutes.
The most important thing about the actual writing itself, I feel, is atmosphere. If you feel the right atmosphere, then you can write the atmosphere into your scene. One way to achieve the right sentiments and the right atmosphere is by listening to music. I prefer music without lyrics which I understand, because then I won’t be affected by what the songwriter has written. At the moment, my favourite groups for atmosphere setting music are Immediate Music, X-ray Dog, and Two Steps from Hell. Coincidentally, all these groups make the music for movie trailers. I also use movie soundtracks to set the atmosphere, especially for battle scenes. Percussion really does it for me. Writing is like seeing a movie inside your head and then describing what you see (at least it is for me). Movies need background music to set the atmosphere.
You can’t write if your brain isn’t functioning, and in order to have a functional brain, you need the proper nutrients. I consume lots and lots of protein (and sugar and caffeine). Don’t overdo it with the drugs, because that fries your brain. Caffeine tends to help me to concentrate, but then, I limit myself to one large coffee per day so I don’t become used to it and therefore need more. As well as that, I usually just have hot chocolate before my daily writing session.
Keeping a journal or a diary is very useful, in my opinion. If you write in your journal every day, you become adept at putting down thoughts on paper without needing to think about what you’re doing with your hand. You also develop your own voice as you write your journal, if you haven’t done so already. I’ve planned stories in my journal, written down scraps of dialogue and weird/lame/random jokes which I then incorporated into my stories where I saw fit. It also trains the muscles of your hand so that you can write for longer without getting cramps. Journal writing is also a way to ensure that you write at least something every day. It doesn’t take much brainpower. No one’s going to read your journal, so you can just ramble and rant and generally make a fool of yourself if you want to.
So those are my guidelines/suggestions. I hope they were somewhat helpful.