Recently I looked back at the state of this site and what I had written, and I noticed a glaring deficiency. The site is titled “A Writer and Photographer” and much has been posted about photography, nature, observations skills, foraging, the outdoors in general, bird & animals, and much more. But I realized that over the past year I had contributed nothing on the craft of being a writer. Hopefully I can rectify that over time, starting with this post.
What I’m presenting here is strictly my personal opinion about what works for me when writing. It may not be as useful to you, or it may well be exactly what you need to read. Check out the way I work to see if there is something you can apply to yourself as a writer. Until you develop your own system, try many different approaches to see what can be used in your writing life.
Many of us have seen the modern stereotype of a writer toiling away in a crowded noisy coffee shop or internet café. It looks great in photos or depicted on television, but that approach is not helpful for me. The primary negative is just too much noise and distraction. My preference is a quiet location with minimal outside influences. This allows me to concentrate on the ideas I write about and to listen to the voice in my head. Having the opportunity to just write without external competition is relaxing and allows my ideas to flow and develop as I write words on the page.
The second major aspect of the way I write is the method that I use to record my words – long hand and hard copy. My strong preference for writing is a hard lead pencil or smooth pen, either of which slides across a high quality paper. I always avoid using a computer for the first draft and often the second. There is something that joyfully connects my hand with my mind when writing on paper that a computer just cannot replicate. Many of my ideas come when I’m walking in the woods, or sitting by an evening campfire like the one above, or when I’m camping. Those occasions lend themselves to solitude, quiet, and contemplation.
Writing with a pen or pencil on paper gives me the freedom to write almost anywhere. I am always carrying something to write with and something to write on. I have even written one or two sentences on a 3X5 card at a stop light in traffic, which has kept the idea fresh until I could conveniently write more completely. By always having a small notebook and a writing utensil close by, I can write or make notes at almost any time (and I do). I’m not tied to a computer or tablet which can be inconvenient or impossible to use at the time inspiration strikes. For my writing, paper is unmatched for ease of use and it is available to me whenever I am awake. I also find it much simpler to do my first edit right on the same page as my first draft. It is a system I have used successfully for years.
Just as every photographer develops a style over time, every writer does the same. Each of us is unique in the way we work and as we work, strong preferences and habits will come to the forefront of our routine. Pay attention to the way your mind works and the way your ideas flow. You may be surprised by what you learn from some introspection. Certainly for me, solitude is a gift and quiet becomes my writing environment.