Environmental Factors in Writing

Continuing my topic from yesterday, in addition to having a place to write, I also find that I need certain other factors in place to do my best work. The biggest one is getting enough sleep. Now at my day job I'm used to being tired, harried, and still churning out quality work so I'm well versed in the concept of discipline and getting the job done no matter what you feel like. Still, I do better at writing if I get enough sleep.

Being well rested brings out my personality more, so my writing tends to pop better the first time out. My sentences come out gramatically correct, and I tend to get my facts straight from the beginning, which all makes for less work in the long run.

I also need caffeine almost as much as I need air. :-)

And I need music to listen to. Music creates the mood for me, which leeches into my writing. If I'm writing a sexy scene, some Barry White totally does the trick. If I'm writing something sad, Pink Floyd takes me in the right direction. And nothing like a little Guns 'n Roses if you're writing a fight scene, lol. In fact, I may go dig up a list of favorite music to write to and list it here another day.