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Post by Ted on Apr 8, 2019 12:41:33 GMT -8
I posted a brief article on "The Psychology of Writing and the Cognitive Science of the Perfect Daily Routine" on my blog. There is a link in the blog article to the complete article for members who wish to read more on the subject.
Note: My firefox refuses to allow link to function properly. Please let me know if you have same problem.
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Post by unclegarf on Apr 8, 2019 13:31:32 GMT -8
Kind falls flat when the damn hard drive dies like mine just has. Pass the booze!
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chelsfield
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Post by chelsfield on Apr 8, 2019 23:38:52 GMT -8
Worked fine for me. Most writers would agree with this. And, it goes back to writing, at its very basic, being a skill. And we all know how we improve skills...
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Post by unclegarf on Apr 9, 2019 2:04:12 GMT -8
Interesting article. I guess there are as many routines as there are writers (or creatives in general) The likes of Jeffry Archer has a 9-5 routine which works for him. I work on the 'itch' method. A nagging itch to write needs scratching so I get on with it, time of day or night irrelevant. Force it and it becomes a chore with little progress. I have three itches, writing, painting and now sculpture. The huge morphing pile of clay on my kitchen table beckons me and as soon as fed ex dumps another load of clay on my doorstep I'll get on with it. Took my external hard drive to some bloke in town to hopefully retrieve the data. Fifty fifty chance he reckons. I'm not feeling lucky today. Everything useful is 99% double backed up but the work in progress first few chapters of the new Drifta's Quest isn't. Yeah,I know. I'm a doofus. Ok, most is stored in my neck-top computer but do I have the energy to access it it?? I do get weary of some who maybe do A book then spend all their time concerned with royalties, building ethernet fan bases and marketing rather than actually writing and then preaching to others how to do it. Whatever your routines, just get on with it!
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Post by unclegarf on Apr 9, 2019 8:45:26 GMT -8
I knew it! Data lost. Gotta re-do those missing chapters. I need a realignment of my neck-top computer, a full lube job with whiskey and what's left of my teeth to be gritted. Just wait until that itch becomes unbearable....!
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Post by Ted on Apr 9, 2019 14:33:58 GMT -8
I've had computer disks crash on me and now I have an auto-backup to a portable hard drive of 3 terabytes so that each time a file is changed it is backed up. To restore I backup to a named folder on my new computer and there is my stuff to do with as I want.
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Post by unclegarf on Apr 9, 2019 23:34:03 GMT -8
Live and learn, hey? The only thing I've lost is the work in progress. Perhaps it's a sign from the gods of creativity that I should give up on this writin' lark and do other stuff. I'll let the itch decide.
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Post by unclegarf on Apr 10, 2019 12:12:01 GMT -8
I've been sculpturising away, trying to make E T look more like a beautiful woman. Might settle for E T. That said, I'm sure the dogged and determined 'itch' to write is festering away and will burst out one day.
Ted brought up the concept of routine and planning. I'm sure I read about something like that before. I think I even tried it once on a slack day in 1979. Not saying that turned me to drink but it was probably a factor. I will get up each day, throw paint, clay and typos about with recklessness bordering on criminal and be happier for it. Now you good folk cajole yourselves into whatever routine you want, but at the end of the day, make it happen. Go write something!
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Ria Stone
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Post by Ria Stone on Apr 28, 2019 12:18:07 GMT -8
My first reaction was Yikes - "Perfect", wow, that lets me out!!! :-)
But, I read the article and appreciated many of the concepts and ideas.
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Ria Stone
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Post by Ria Stone on Nov 26, 2019 17:59:59 GMT -8
Time and Productivity
I have been writing for about a week now.
On one hand, it feels good to be writing again. On the other hand, I am troubled by my level of productivity.
For example, today, I worked from 7-7 and adapted and made two recipes, posted the recipes and wrote two articles still in draft form.
I have no way to gauge my productivity. To me, it seems low. All day long, I keep thinking I would be done in an hour.
It was a day with few interruptions, kinda rare, so I expected more.
The other thing concerns me, it's not good for a writer's health to sit in front of a pc all day long.
I had set up a pc break/exercise routine but ignored it today because I thought I'd be done a whole lot sooner.
I am just passing these thoughts along because I think all writers struggle with the muse, time, interruptions, and health issues.
BTW, below are my @ home gym exercise ideas and a bit more.
When you take a PC break, try to do 1 or more of the activities below:
am/pm in bed, 50 bicycle leg pumps & 15 ab crunches; 10 hand clutches;
2x a day, take 6 deep breaths.
Smell a fragrant herb or perfume often.
Focus on balance and hand/eye coordination tasks: -like stand on one leg briefly -take a ball and dribble it for a 1 or 2 minutes, or toss it against the wall and catch, -or juggle
in chair, ankle & wrist rolls;
Use 2 large water bottles as weights for 10 arm lifts out, then up; 10 stretch band arm curls; 15-20 wall pushups; 50 march-in-place steps; 15 torso twists; 20 arm stretches, arms outstretched; make small arm circles & neck rolls; arm dancing: arms out straight to each side, make T with body, draw small circles with hands, dance to 1 whole song; 25 punch the air with clenched fists; 5 fill cheeks with air and hold for a bit; 1 with two fingers massage your face from forehead to temple to cheeks to jowls and chin
yoga poses;
Listen to classic music occasionally;
Walk (in nature, if possible) minimum 20 minutes;
Swim, when possible;
Practice Gratitude;
Be generous when able; Love others;
Read a poem;
Sing!; and
Laugh!
Take care everyone :-)
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Post by garyweston on Nov 26, 2019 23:58:45 GMT -8
I just open another beer and carry on
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Ria Stone
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Post by Ria Stone on Nov 27, 2019 10:06:24 GMT -8
I just open another beer and carry on Gary, you are one who can be productive and drink. If I drank, I wouldn't write a word, too tipsy :-)
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Post by garyweston on Nov 27, 2019 11:05:55 GMT -8
Yeah, I'm a bit of cliche. A writer who drinks. Actually, I've been doing a hell of a lot less of either lately. In my dark days a few years ago when I was going through some tough times, I was making my own vodka and getting through 4 litres a week. I'd pass out eventually, then wake up thinking, 'I know I wrote something, but what the hell was it?' Tentatively I'd look what it was and more often than not, say, 'Oh. Not too bad at all.' Now drinking more or less under control, I'm busy at uni, (sketching a naked lady today) and have two books to write next year. A Biography for woman and Drifta's Quest 2. Just sipping a beer now, so cheers to you all.
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Post by djmills on Nov 27, 2019 11:28:25 GMT -8
When writing, I try to walk away from the computer every hour for 5 - 10 minutes. Mostly I refill my coffee cup and return to write for the next hour. It is good to rest our eyes for 5 mins every hour to stop eye strain. :-)
I like having a routine of writing for 1 - 4 hours each morning (Monday to Friday) then do other things in the afternoon. However, if my writing is not fun I stop, no matter how long I have been writing. Because my "muse" is telling me I went wrong somewhere in the last few chapters. I do something else while thinking about the characters, then come back and read the last few chapters. Hopefully, I find where I went wrong, delete that, and keep writing. :-)
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Ria Stone
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Post by Ria Stone on Nov 28, 2019 17:35:36 GMT -8
When writing, I try to walk away from the computer every hour for 5 - 10 minutes. Mostly I refill my coffee cup and return to write for the next hour. It is good to rest our eyes for 5 mins every hour to stop eye strain. :-) I like having a routine of writing for 1 - 4 hours each morning (Monday to Friday) then do other things in the afternoon. However, if my writing is not fun I stop, no matter how long I have been writing. Because my "muse" is telling me I went wrong somewhere in the last few chapters. I do something else while thinking about the characters, then come back and read the last few chapters. Hopefully, I find where I went wrong, delete that, and keep writing. :-) Good advice, thanks!
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