Old Habits Die Hard!

Every writer has their own way of doing things, some like to plan every tiny detail of a piece before they start and others prefer to just wing it and see what happens. And almost every writer that I know, has their own rituals and habits that surround their work.

I know I do!

I'm the kind of writer that doesn't plan anything, I just start writing and see what comes out. This is odd because in every other aspect of my life I'm always quite controlled and usually have a list to hand. I've tried planning a piece before, writing a list of chapters and what they will contain and a character profile to match. This has never worked for me though, it's better if I just relax and let it happen.

As for my habits, I have a very specific way of working:

- I have to write at night, usually between the hours of 9pm-3am, depending on how good of a writing day it is.

- I always light candles and turn the lights off. This helps me relax and focus on what I'm doing.

- I always have music playing, usually quite loudly. For each major piece of work, I've always found a 'muse', that is either a band or artist whose music particularly inspired that piece. Sometimes the music is fitting - for example, when I was writing my teen fiction novel, I was struck by Taylor Swift's music - but sometimes it can be completely random.

- I always drink loads of water. I'm not sure if this is because it helps me stay awake through the night or if it's because it gives me a good excuse to get up and procrastinate every so often, but I always drink the most amount of water during the day when I'm writing.

- And finally, I always wear my pj's. This might seem an obvious thing to say, seeing as I always write at night, but it's really important for me to be completely comfortable and relaxed.

Like I said, all writers have different habits, ways of working and rituals and it is often a trial and error process to find things that work.

So, now I'm off to light the candles, get the music pumping and write some pages...500 words a night is a must!

See you soon,

Writer Girl xxx