Happy Monday!

With my manuscript back with my agent and the submission process in progress I’ve dove back into the second book of my series. I did hit a wall last week because I was sick so there wasn’t much writing done. However, I did manage to write about 6,000 words. So I think I did pretty good considering all I wanted to do was sleep. Today’s question is do I listen to music when I write.  I have a full cup of coffee, so lets start chatting.

The answer is a simple “no”. I cannot listen to music and write. Music distracts me so I never have it on when I’m writing or doing any other work. I know some of my co-workers at my day job listen to music but I can’t do it. There’s something about the lyrics, the rhythm, I don’t know. And I don’t have a play list for my manuscripts. I really don’t have the time to pick out songs that represent the story or the characters. I do sometimes use a song as inspiration for a story idea or character or even a scene.

I do usually have a television on in the background turned to a cable news program. Hearing the reporter’s voices in the background doesn’t distract me. I guess spending so many years working at the day job I’ve gotten used to background chatter and having the television on provides tat for me at home. There are some mornings when I get up very early and I go into my study to sit and write for a few minutes and there’s no noise at all. I can’t say that my final product is any better, I don’t know. It’s just a different experience.

I did receive a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones this year for my birthday and I used them when there was a lot of noise outside when neighbors were mowing their lawns or when I needed to write and my husband was home watching television. I love the headphones. Every writer should have a pair.

Each writer has her own routine that works for them. It’s good to try something different, if another writer does XYZ and it sounds like it may work then give it a go. What’s the worse that can happen? The one thing writers must always do is to be true to themselves and their creative process.

I’m going to finish my coffee now and if there is anything else you’d like to know about how I name or create my characters please ask. If you don’t have a question, don’t be shy – say “hi” in the comments section!