Writing Differences

From other writers I’ve spoken to I’ve discovered I’m a bit different in the way I approach things. I say this while typing frantically at 36,000 feet in the cramped quarters of coach. I have the front of my laptop touching my belly with arms splayed at odd angles and the screen tilted downward to the point I can barely read the words I’m typing. Believe me when I say the image (like my body position) is awkward to an extreme. However, I find that I do some of my best writing in the oddest of locations. Whether I’m above the clouds, in a bustling terminal, or sitting at a bar with a beer a few inches from my grasp, I seem to prefer the surrounding distractions much more than the silence of a lonely room when putting my thoughts on paper (or virtual paper as it may be).

Now why is that?

To answer the question, I have only one idea; I’m a lonely type of guy. I say that knowing I have friends and family in abundance. But also knowing this means I want people around me, just not them. They are more of a distraction because they interrupt, questions, prod for attention while strangers usually leave a person alone when they appear involved in something. I know this and therefore use it to my advantage. When formulating a thought I can hold a conversation or order food or wave down a stewardess, but when I’m actually putting my thoughts in writing all of those people will adamantly ignore me. Basically, they are at my disposal for ideas and don’t even know it.

But how do I ignore them so easily?

Ask my wife… just kidding. Actually it takes practice. It takes a level of concentration my brother mastered at an early age. For me, it’s taken decades, but for the most part I can tune almost anything out for a little while. Perfecting this puts my writing in control until I decide to give up that control. The problem I have is realizing how much time truly passes when I do this. I usually think minutes when in reality its hours (probably because I’m a 40-words-per-minute typist at best, so a few pages takes hours). It’s gotten me in trouble more than once, which is another reason I dislike writing while at home.

And how long does it take to formulate an idea?

That all depends. If it’s a storyline, then anywhere from weeks to months. If it’s just a blog entry or a ‘short’ as I call them, sometimes my fingers seem to move on their own without been driven by thought. Also, I like to roll ideas around in my head constantly. Whether I’m driving or reading a book or watching a movie, my mind is working on ideas for other novels. Most of those ideas are trash, but a few reach paper. Fewer yet get written.

Maybe I’m not so different from the rest of the writers I’ve spoken too. Maybe we’re all nuts. At least I know I’m not certifiable (yet).