I’ve given some attention to why I write the post “Unmasked” and “Why I Write And Or Blog”. (These are not the only posts that speak into writing or blogging though…) Something I haven’t spoken much about was the environment for my writing and blogging.
I’ve had one favourite place to write in the entire world, but Ingrid and I moved cities. So, that place is now over 1,500 kilometres away from where I live.
Being away from my favourite physical writing environment doesn’t mean that I stop writing. It just means I need to get in touch with why I enjoyed writing there, so that I can recreate that environment, and hopefully even better.
I wrote about my previous space in “One Of My Favourite Places In The World”. Now, here are some of the things that make for my ideal writing environment
Mental
If I had to choose the most important factor for writing it would be mental space. Nothing dissuades me from writing than a stifled mental state.
Mental fatigue and mismanaged stress do nothing to help with writing. When I’m distraught I run. Literally run. Somehow it helps me regain the mental focus necessary for writing.
Surround
My immediate environment, is the next important thing. I write best when I’m close to a window with a view. Being able to see in the distance in the physical allows me to peer in the recesses of my mind.
When I get stuck, looking out the window is almost like dredging for the mind. When I write at night I tend to concentrate better when there is no other activity around me. This brings me to my next point.
Time
Time of the day doesn’t matter as much as it used to. The important thing for me is that i’m able to have mental space and an a distraction free environment. When I cannot have my ideal space, I create it.
Music
I have running songs. I also have a “power song” for running. (One of my running apps is the Nike Running app…) I also have a writing power song. I tend to play one song over and over and over, well, you get the point.
Music helps me create a cocoon. A place of safety and focus. I love music. An art that helps me create. Bliss. Beautiful. Writing is where the art forms that inspire marry and make something (hopefully) beautiful.
Crux
My writing environment is something I’m constantly trying to make sense of and tweak. Having moved home, I’m now somehow more forced to think about the writing environment that helped me write for about three years.
My ideal environment also depends on what is going on in my world. Sometimes I get more done in an environment I’ve never been in. Familiarity helps or hinders me depending on what is going on in my internal world.
For now, the most important environment I’m trying to create is mental. I’ll keep trying different things as I refine what really works for me… However, not having the ideal environment doesn’t stop me from writing anyways…