The Right Environment For Writing

So after having spending most of the day covering events at the local fair Sunday, I didn't get a chance to write. The good news is that I got the time this evening, added a few more thousand words and now have 4,513 words in two chapters of the fifth rewrite.

Yesterday, I spent most of the day either in a hot indor arena or outdoors, when temperatures were nearing 100 and the humidity was high. At the arena was a dog show, and at one point, they had to close the door that allowed fresh air to come in, so it got stuffy. Follow that with standing outside taking photos at multiple events, and by the time I was finished, I was exhausted.

What I've found is that I don't write well after I am outside in hot weather for long periods of time. I need time to cool down and get my mind focused. And when you are busy most of the day, it's hard to get that focus back.

This brings me to a brief point: When you write, you need to make sure you are writing in conditions that are comfortable for you. For me, and I imagine some of you as well, you need air conditioning in the summer or heat in the winter. For others, though, I would not be surprised if they write better when they are out in the sun, or perhaps when it's cool outside but there's no breeze. Maybe putting pencil to paper or fingers to keyboard gets them energized enough that they aren't bothered by cold temperatures.

What environment allows one to write well depends on the person. Whatever it is that works for you, that's what you should do. Obviously, you don't want the environment to result in harm to your health or well being. But you do want to find the right room temperature or outdoor climate that allows you to focus and gather your thoughts.

OK, so I imagine for most writers, sitting out in the sun with temperatures near 100 isn't ideal conditions. But not all writers are alike, so I wouldn't be surprised if there are people out there who are like that.

It just doesn't work for me, that's all.