If even watching the obnoxious little fly humming in circles around in your room is currently bringing more excitement to your life than your writing, then you are probably facing a serious problem of concentration. We here at novum publishing have gathered a few precious tips to putting yourself in the right frame of mind to concentrate on the task at hand: writing!
Writing is a labour of art and creativity. But even more so, writing also is an act of self-containment. Bringing a book to life from the very first page to the very last is, always, an effort that requires an immense amount of discipline from the writer. Many a bohemian is going through life dreaming of becoming a great writer, a famed author, a celebrated novelist. Yet it is only those of the consequent who will succeed at the end and secure for themselves their rightful place in the bestseller rankings of this world. Contrary to past times, the wannabe-Flaubert of modern times is ever so slightly tempted to succumb to diversion. Modern society is filled to the brim with every possible form of diversion and every distraction imaginable. Be it your smartphone, television, shopping, fun and games – our minds are so used to the availability of a constant stream of entertainment that it almost seems to border on an addiction. But, if one is seeking to bring a piece of work to an end, one has to learn the rules of escapism by heart and abide and live by them. To stick to that and follow through to the end, one needs more tools at hand than just a sturdy door with a lock, which is what bestselling author Stephen King would have his pupils hide behind.
Novum publishing opens its secret vault of writing tips and reveals which tricks ensure concentrated writing without getting lost between the lines:
- Sitting position: The wrong posture has never led to success. The right sitting position is not just a matter of importance health-wise – as our ability to concentrate, also, is dependent on one’s right sitting behaviour. If you stay in a certain position for too long, this will inevitably lead to a lack of oxygen in your brain. This again results in fatigue and problems with concentration, two notorious archenemies of creativity.
Tip: Dynamic sitting keeps both your body and mind alert and active. Sitting up, standing up, crossing your legs or even doing a yoga pose like the sun salutation at your work desk- every shift in position is a promise to your vitality. While writing you are only in your own company anyway, so any social norms or shyness that might hold you back can surely be banished for the time you write.
- Room atmosphere: A rush of fresh air and ideal lighting are sure to inspire new ideas. For everyone constantly typing away at their computers airing out on the regular is a must. Electro smog brings productivity to an abrupt halt, fresh air lets your thoughts circulate freely. The effect of light is not to be underestimated as well. Whereas a bad lighting situation is bound to invite fatigue and problems in concentrating, the flow of creativity will know no bounds in a shiny mixture of direct and indirect lighting.
Tip: The common opinion that the blue light emanated by smartphone- and computer screens is making us more awake is indeed true. Even though it is likely to be banned from bedrooms for exactly these qualities, you should look your fill. Because if your goal is to keep fatigue at bay, the blue light counters the effects of melatonin, the hormone associated with sleep onset, rendering it the ideal ally of writeaholics!
- Disruptive factors: Don‘t we all know the plight of being constantly available at all times? While it is rather easy to just plug out all our electronics, it does get indefinitely trickier with family and friends. If you want to get stuff done and go with the flow of writing, it is best to avoid an overflowing social agenda for the time writing. Writers who mean serious business take care of their agenda even before starting to write away on their new book. Dates especially can be an obstacle to the writing process. The flow of writing can find itself to be majorly disrupted, by matters of time as well as by matters of an emotional nature. The problems and plights of our fellow friends and acquaintances can be a serious burden on a writer’s balance. At the same time, a full calendar also inevitably leads to a lot of pressure. A working author’s best friends are communication and spontaneity. It is, after all, always much better to spontaneously show up to a meeting instead of cancelling at the very last minute.
- Tranquility: A calm work atmosphere is a prerequisite for concentrated writing – calm surroundings, mind you, not dead silence. It is up to personal taste and preferences just how quiet is ideal for your personal writing success, and what noise is horribly annoying for some might prove soothing for others. Disruptive noises can be conversations from close by or the not-so-subtle sledgehammer from the construction site next to other sounds on the other hand, like classical music, for example, are proven to having a stimulating effect on our cognitive powers. There is a variety of useful apps designed especially for authors that emulate soothing noises like soft rainfall or the cozy stutter of a train slowly following the railway. Amongst our top picks for calming applications, we can warmly recommend rainy mood or noisli for example.
- Inspiration: What Goethe used to be searching for in Italy, some of us might already find on a leisurely stroll through nature. Escaping the near-sterile confines of our homes is oftentimes the best way to fill our minds anew with creative ideas. New characters, genres and stories are not always explored best at our work desks. A change of scenery not only lends a new perspective to our own lives but also gives an instant new outlook on the stories developing in our heads.
Tip: Create your workplace consciously with items like pictures that are bound to inspire you – it does not always have to be Italy. 😉 Sometimes the garden in front of your doors is sufficient.
So, which tips and tricks for concentrated writing do you have in store? We are always ravenous for anything related to writing, and we would love to hear from you!
Keep writing, keep typing!
Yours truly, novum publishing