Writing habits?

Here's the place to discuss your writrting habits (and the frustrations and joys that come with time). Are you organised, disciplined random? Do you write a certain number of words a day, or for a period of time, or do you wait untio the muse descends? Quill, MS Word, pink crayons - what's your tool of preference?

Vaguely disciplined, or at least I try to be. I try and write or do a rewrite every day, I tend to do it in the evening once our baby is in bed otherwise he keeps pinching my pen, or grabbing at my keyboard. If I do write in the day I have to perch on top of the sofa back to keep hold of my pen!
First draft is always in one of my notebooks (I use Pukka project books to separate different writings) with a biro. Second draft onwards could be either more longhand or on my laptop. Since I'm waiting for a new power cable at the moment I'm doing every rewrite longhand. I tend to carry a notebook with me all the time too.

I try to be disciplined - 1000 words a day of something or other. I've got a mix of approaches - the bulk is straight first draft to wordprocessor, though usually I've made notes beforehand. Sometimes they're quite detailed, sometimes no more than a few words arrowed together. I'm lucky enough to have desk space at home, though I don't mind working in busy environments.

Usually there's a coffee on the go (or lemon tea) and something on in the background: TV on low, the radio (often Radio Five Live, or BBC World Service - I like spoken word stuff in the background that can tick along. The TV's usually got BBC News 24 on...

Blimey, you're both far more disciplined than I am! I'm a great procrastinator, extremely ill-disciplined with my writing, easily distracted and even when inspired, I need absolute isolation and silence! And as my handwriting is illegible even to me at the best of times, I use my pc but unfortunately the internet is only a click away...

It's a wonder I get anything done!

One of my main reasons that I've decided to embark on an MA course in Creative Writing is that I'm hoping deadlines and tutorials and academic pressure would force me to take my writing seriously!

Good luck with your writing.

Jen
x

Not sure I can call it disciplined, but I definitely try to be persistent! Feel like I've had a productive day if I can get a full page written (typed actually, am constantly changing words here and there so pens and paper end up a right mess!) Am also one who needs quiet and solitude too- easily distracted I guess, and am lucky to have some space to set everything up and not worry about having to put it all away again at the end of the day. Oh, and coffee- especially when I'm finding it hard to get started, nothing else seems to do the trick quite so well!