I go back and forth on this all the time. Listen to music while I write or have complete and total silence?
And for those of you who prefer to have the TV set on behind you instead of listening to music or having the room quiet, how the heck are you not distracted from your work every couple of seconds? Heaven forbid if the computer you are writing on has access to the internet. Between dancing through different websites and watching four TV shows at once, I would have no chance of getting anything done.
I've got the song "White Winter Hymnal" by Fleet Foxes on presently as I write this entry. Focusing on my writing is a challenge because the song is uppity and catchy. I guess that might be one of the issues then. Since the song has grabbed my attention, it's become harder to keep the majority of my attention on getting this article done. There we go. I put an instrumental band on--The Album Leaf--and now I can kick my brain back where it's supposed to be.
It can sometimes be hard to concentrate on my writing even if the music I'm listening to is instrumental in nature. Last week I was blogging from home and a classical piece by Beethoven came on my IPod. It was so good that I stopped my typing and enjoyed it until it was over.
Have you ever tried writing in an absolutely silent environment? I'm probably not too far off in assuming that most people don't have around the clock access to an ideal place like this. There are countless things always going on and making noise inside and outside that will prevent you from having that absolute quiet you so desire. But what about writing at the library? Those tiny sounds I am so accustomed to blocking out of my head are often nonexistent in the library, which sometimes makes the silence in libraries its own distraction.
Well, how can we find a nice equilibrium then? Two words: coffee shops. No, no, I'm not talking about that drive-thru Starbucks you get your coffee from every morning. I'm asking you to give that local mom and pop coffee house a try. Set up camp there and see what kind of writing you can get done. I've found with some light ambient mood music along with the other customers around me quietly keeping to themselves, that this is very calming and conducive to my writing style. Don't worry, you can always get your writing done at home, but take a chance and try writing at a coffee house nearby.
No one is the same, however. So what places are the best ones to write at for you? Do you take your IPod with you?
NOTE: I didn't even touch on the best times for me to write. Early morning-like around dawn-and late at night are times when my gears really start turning. - 16492
And for those of you who prefer to have the TV set on behind you instead of listening to music or having the room quiet, how the heck are you not distracted from your work every couple of seconds? Heaven forbid if the computer you are writing on has access to the internet. Between dancing through different websites and watching four TV shows at once, I would have no chance of getting anything done.
I've got the song "White Winter Hymnal" by Fleet Foxes on presently as I write this entry. Focusing on my writing is a challenge because the song is uppity and catchy. I guess that might be one of the issues then. Since the song has grabbed my attention, it's become harder to keep the majority of my attention on getting this article done. There we go. I put an instrumental band on--The Album Leaf--and now I can kick my brain back where it's supposed to be.
It can sometimes be hard to concentrate on my writing even if the music I'm listening to is instrumental in nature. Last week I was blogging from home and a classical piece by Beethoven came on my IPod. It was so good that I stopped my typing and enjoyed it until it was over.
Have you ever tried writing in an absolutely silent environment? I'm probably not too far off in assuming that most people don't have around the clock access to an ideal place like this. There are countless things always going on and making noise inside and outside that will prevent you from having that absolute quiet you so desire. But what about writing at the library? Those tiny sounds I am so accustomed to blocking out of my head are often nonexistent in the library, which sometimes makes the silence in libraries its own distraction.
Well, how can we find a nice equilibrium then? Two words: coffee shops. No, no, I'm not talking about that drive-thru Starbucks you get your coffee from every morning. I'm asking you to give that local mom and pop coffee house a try. Set up camp there and see what kind of writing you can get done. I've found with some light ambient mood music along with the other customers around me quietly keeping to themselves, that this is very calming and conducive to my writing style. Don't worry, you can always get your writing done at home, but take a chance and try writing at a coffee house nearby.
No one is the same, however. So what places are the best ones to write at for you? Do you take your IPod with you?
NOTE: I didn't even touch on the best times for me to write. Early morning-like around dawn-and late at night are times when my gears really start turning. - 16492
About the Author:
Tim Hyde is a writer, blogger, and consultant for booksXYZ.com, the nonprofit bookstore helping learning institutions. BooksXYZ.com lists over 2,000,000 paperbacks, hardbacks, and audio books. Think about buying your next book online at booksXYZ.com while helping education around the nation.
