No story. Just musings.

I've been working, for the better part of the afternoon/evening, on a story that I've had rolling around in my head for a while now. I got it started last year, worked on it a little bit this semester, turned it in, got some good feedback on it, and now I'm trying to churn out more to turn in tomorrow. It's going well, but I've realized just how much of a writing routine I've established. It's kind of amusing.

1) I need it to be completely quiet.

2) I need music. Music really sets the pace and the tone for me, and the right type of music gets me in the right frame of mind to write for a specific piece (for example, the story I'm working on takes place in Ireland, a couple of hundred years ago, so I've been listening to Celtic Flutes all day).

3) I need darkness. Weird, right? Not pitch black, can't-see-my-hand-in-front-of-my-face darkness, but I don't like bright lights glaring on me. Diffused, rainy day light is the absolute best, for some reason. Right now, I'm sitting in my bedroom with nothing but a single desk lamp lit. It's working.

4) I can't have people reading over my shoulder. That just creeps me out. I get very self conscious and freeze up. So that leads into...

5) I need to be alone. Or at least, feel like I'm alone. Right now, my roommate is in the living room, working on her paper. That's fine, because I have the bedroom all to myself.

So, that's my routine. Everyone always says writers are quirky. I guess they're right. :)