| Writer Needs: 1 Brain, preferably in operational condition 1 Computer. I had banged out my first novel on a typewriter, not it wasn't even electric. It was an orange and white Russian typewriter. The novel was absolutely awful, and I'm surprised it didn't break the poor machine. I still remember the typewriter fondly, but I don't care to write on one. 1 Idea 6-8 books in support of background of the idea No internet Writer Peeves: I like to write in complete quiet. The house should be clean. The dinner is either prepared or be ready to go into the oven at a moment's notice The window should be open to permit fresh air in. I like to have a glass of chilled sangria by my desk. Writer Gets: A couple of hours a night, surrounded by cats, kids, and husband, who is playing some RPG on a computer accompanied to some alternative music soundtrack, interrupted by making dinner (house is usually clean thanks to the kids), explanation of percentages, listening to long stories about "stuff that happened at school", dealing with a full mailbox of emails, and worrying about that precious piece of paper I may have misplaced at my day job and really need to find. Writer peeves? What peeves? We are not allowed peeves. :) That's how my three novels were written. Now your turn. Tell me what your needs are. How do you write? PS: Winner of the MB/MB contests are : Scooper, Tez Miller, and Infernus1218 You have a choice of a signed Magic Bites or e-ARC of Magic Burns which will be available in November. Email me with your choice at your convenience. |
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1 Brain, preferably in operational condition
Are you SURE? Because I could have sworn... Well, never mind.
Congratulations (grudginly, mind you) to the winners.
All true! Particularly that operational computer bit.
I just spent the last hour fixing the "m" (there it is) on my laptop.
Now, I'm going to take a bath and read. My creativity is spent.
Damn computers.
I'm the same as you - I need fresh air and/or sunlight. If I don't have those it bugs the snot out of me more than anything else!
And I agree - what we WANT and what we NEED are two completely diff. things.
Something to write with
Something to write on
Time to write
I like writing directly onto my computer, but one dark moment in my past (when my then 4 month old daughter puked on my laptop while I was writing) helped me realize the important of a notebook as well. This is changing, of course, as the kids get older, meaning they leave the computer and me alone for longer periods of time. But really, pen and paper and a few moments, or computer and a few moments are all I need. Little bits at a time if that's what it takes.
What do I need? Time and a seatbelt. If I'm frustrated I'm like a hummingbird going from one place to another. Really (and I know this is crazy) what I need is a keyboard and computer in the shower. I have come up with more ideas and resolved more plot issues in the shower than anywhere else. When I have a house, I swear I'm to make my husband figure out how to install one so I can write without electrocuting myself.
I find it easier to compose with pen and paper, and even with revisions, I have to have a hard copy in front of me to mark up. Lots of environmental guilt here, but my creativity shrivels in the glow of the monitor, so everybody recycle something to compensate for my bad karma.
(I saw "Magic Burns which will be out in November" and got all excited because that's months early! Then I read the whole sentence. Cruel, cruel, cruel...)
I need: 1 comfy chair, 1 computer, a drink, music cranked up loud enough to make my ears bleed. Haribo sweeties are preferable, but not necessary. And 3am is also good. :-D
What I get: broken chair, computer, drink, people bugging me every ten minutes and broad daylight.
Needs: Solitude, background music, whacking great file of notes.
Peeves: Phone calls, Jehovah's Witnesses calling to ask if I'm sure I don't want a copy of Watchtower/People from florist calling to ask if they can use our car parking space.
Gets: See Peeves.
Oh, a fun one.
Needs: A stable computer, relative silence or a good movie/music in the background, and no sunlight. No Internet would be good too.
What I get: A wife who can detect when I am just getting into a really good section, writing as if there was no a care in the world, and then calling me. Two dogs and three cats which random bark, meow, hork, or whine at the wrong time. A train going to Chicago... enough said (that was for my first novel). And an irresistible urge to run "apt-get upgrade" which always, always, always breaks something on my machine for a few days.
And Einstein, the computer game. Never, ever install that game.
No internet
I think that's the most important one right there!
Finally, someone else who writes in silence :-)
Ooh, so pleased that I actually won something! Hopefully you received my email yesterday, that I sent to your League email.
Many thanks for choosing me, and have a lovely day! :-)
Pimped: http://tezmilleroz.livejournal.com http://blog.myspace.com/tezmilleroz http://tezmilleroz.blogspot.com