Western View

Writing is an art form and creativity is truly a gift. I am a writer. I love to write more than just about anything else in the world. Spending time with my wife and children aside, it is the one thing that when I am doing it, I don’t feel like I should be doing something else. I know in my heart, soul, and very core that writing is what I am meant to do. More than that, it is who I am. It feeds and nourishes my soul. It provides an outlet for venting emotions and taking a stand on issues that I might not be comfortable doing in the real world. I freely admit it. I live vicariously through my characters. I create them and I use them, sometimes to reflect my own beliefs, values, and moral compass, other times to explore the dark side that we all have. Sometimes it is fun to be bad through a character and do and say things that we would never dream of doing in real life. It is a fact that there is evil in the world. To ignore it and pretend like it is not there is not only unrealistic and foolish, but it is unfair to the reader. Though the degrees of evil vary and not all characters are bad, in almost every story (even children’s books) there are bad or negative actions. Sometimes the actions are intentional, sometimes they are committed through naivety or prompting of others. Let’s face it, there has to be evil because without it there would be nothing to overcome. But alas, I have strayed off my original intent for this post.

Even though I love to write and it nourishes my soul, I am constantly finding myself distracted. It comes from a variety of sources — people talking, my children playing, the television, other books, video games, a dirty house, grass that needs mowed, etc. It seems like something is always calling my name to be done. What’s worse is I feel at times that I make excuses to not write. For example, I might tell myself that I will write after this or that television show goes off or when I finish that game. I really don’t get it sometimes. Why on earth would I be making excuses for not doing what I love to do more than anything else (again, family is excluded from that statement)? I have thought about this on many occasions and I think I have finally figured out the answer. It’s not that I would rather be doing the other activities, it is more that everything has to be in its place and done before I can sit down an concentrate on writing. If my desk is cluttered, for instance, I have to straighten it before I can write. I could give example after example, but I will spare you the gory details.

All writers have different and unique writing styles and routines for preparing to write. I’m sure there are other writers that can write in the middle of the hustle and bustle of just about anywhere. I am not one of those people. I need peace and quiet. I also need order and a writing space (and mind) free of clutter. I also need a checklist of what is important to me. Setting priorities and goals is very important to maintaining the effort to write. So is setting aside dedicated time to write, picking a time where nothing else could possibly interfere with writing. For me, it is also important to make sure that anything else that needs to be done is taken care of before my writing time. To be a successful writer, it is also important that you set aside time daily to write. If you only write once in a while when you feel like it, you are not really a writer — you are a hobbyist that enjoys writing.

So, here is a summary of my points in order to write successfully and free from clutter:

1. Set aside time DAILY to write, even if it is only for half an hour. It is very important that you maintain this. Pick a time when there is nothing else that might interfere with your writing.

2. Take care of any other activities before sitting down to write — wash the dishes, mow the lawn, walk the dog, play a video game, etc. Just be sure that when the time you set aside to write comes, drop whatever you are doing and write. You might even consider setting an alarm.

3. Find an environment that suits your writing style. For me, that means someplace quiet. It might be a room with a door that closes or maybe even a quiet spot in the park.

4. Free yourself from distractions. This is by far the hardest step. Turn off (or in extreme cases, SELL) the television, lock up the movies, delete all the games from your designated writing computer and lock up the installation discs. If your writing time is in the evening, put the kids to bed before you start. If you are married or in a relationship, be sure to communicate to your significant other when your writing time is and to please not disturb you during that time.

If you can live and abide by those four simple rules, writing should be a lot easier for you. Good luck and stick with it!

Cheers!
~ Peter West