While I appreciate the wonderful technology that is the home computer, and consider it an indispensable tool of my chosen profession, there is still something to be said for grabbing a spiral notebook and a pen and putting ink to paper. I love to write outside while sitting on a blanket that is spread in a field or perhaps on some flat rocks by the side of the lake. There is something about communing with nature that helps me to tap into the artistry that comes from the written word. Beyond the scenery, I simply love the smell of paper and ink. I feel more connected to the sentences I am crafting when I see each letter formed from my own hand.
Through my work with Writers in the Sky, I have had the opportunity to interview dozens of authors about their work. One question that I always like to ask is, "Do you have a specific way that you like to write?" Some people with whom I spoke dedicated the same three hours to progressing on their manuscripts every morning without fail. One gentleman opted to do his writing while sitting at the kitchen table and listening to a baseball game on the radio. (I'm not sure what he did during the off-season.) Yet another author had created a space in her home that she only entered to write, and she made sure it was painted and decorated in such a way to pull out all maximum creative energy.
Writing is a very personal and emotional process, whether you are writing a graduate thesis for a chemistry program or your memoirs. You leave a piece of yourself on the page. You are forming something and then presenting it to the world for their enjoyment and scrutiny. Where you choose to create is important.
So, what about you? In what environment do you feel that your writing is best able to develop and flourish? I would love to hear from you!
Sarah Moore has nearly a decade of experience in higher education administration, having worked at University of Maryland, Boston University, and Middle Tennessee State University. In addition to her administrative responsibilities, she taught research and writing courses at these institutions. Sarah also taught high school government and history for several years, and always included a strong emphasis on writing in her students' assignments. Sarah was raised just outside of Washington, D.C., but has called Nashville home for nearly eight years and enjoys life there with her two young children.
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