On a typical Saturday, we offer you an image of Erika’s cats sharing their wisdom. We also ask you a question about your writing process. You don’t need to think of yourself Please feel free to answer in the comments section, on our facebook page, our twitter account, or all three.
Cheers,
Adam and Erika
This Week’s Question:
Is there a particular type of music you listen to when you write? A particular genre? Composer? Band? How loud do you listen? Ear phones or speakers?
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description:
Two cats, one large and orange, one small and grey, are sitting on a bed pondering life. The large orange announces: “Hey! I just finished a poem!” There’s a smile on his face.
The small grey has a more pensive look on his face as he asks: “I’ve always wondered. How do you know when a poem is finished'”
The orange’s smile becomes more strained as he says: “Well first you revise and edit.”
“Uh huh,” responds the grey.”
“Then you obsess over meaningless details until you drive yourself insane.”
“Wait, what?” asks the grey.
The orange goes on: “Then you get fed up with it and leave it alone for like six months.”
“Yeesh,” says the grey.
“Then you stumble across it and say ‘eh. good enough.'”
I have a writing specific playlist, but it’s not the only thing, or even the most frequent thing I listen to when I’m writing. What I start with often tends to be whatever is stuck in my head at the moment (right now, for example, it’s Matisyahu’s “Miracle” but a little earlier today it was “There’s a Light” from the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack.) On days when the ADHD won’t let me settle down with music, I often reach for podcasts instead. Yesterday was a ll day new wave fest, but the day before that was classical. I really like it when Adam and I write together and choose a piece of music to listen to while we do it. Our preferences overlap in some ways, and it’s been fun to have him expand my choices a little and to challenge his, too. We’ve measured writing time in the length of a piece of music or in movements instead of by the clock as well, which is a really helpful strategy sometimes when I’m having difficulty concentrating or not really sure where I’m going with something. It seems to lessen the anxiety that clock-watching causes and encourages me to just keep writing.
I’m a speakers person most of the time. Most headsets bother my head and ear bud types aren’t particularly comfortable either, although I’m still trying to find the right
ones. I do go for the headset when Adam and I write together while we’re on the phone–phone on speaker, music on the computer and it works out. If I’m doing a Zoom group where I’m muted during writing time or by myself though, definitely speakers.