You may start out with the above
tools and find that you do a lot of “cutting and pasting.” I have been known,
in my bad old paper days, to cut up a page into separate sentences and
rearrange them with tape until it looked like a complicated jigsaw puzzle. Text
editing was a lifesaver for such as me. If you find you go a little crazy with
scissors, the PC will turn out to be your best friend. You will get used to
composing your work in a word processor. You may find that you will
occasionally print out your work for a run-through with the red pencil, and
then make changes to your electronic copy.
Discover your writing
temperament.
Some people work obsessively. Many
times the same people who have a great deal of difficulty getting started on a
writing task, also have difficulty getting stopped. If you turn out to be that
sort, force yourself to take breaks for the sake of your fingers and back.
You may find you work best in
spurts of energy; writing for a time, then stopping and doing something
completely different. If you’re able to return to your task, even after a
prolonged interruption, it’s perfectly fine to work that way.
Find out what ambience or
writing environment works for you.
Make sure the environment is
pleasant and has some diversions, but is not so distracting that you will
forget your main purpose is writing. I always set up to write near a window
that looks out on glimpses of nature. Even lightening storms can be
inspirational. Right now the tree outside has a cardinal family in it. Perfect.
Some people like to have music
playing in the background. Others need complete silence. Still others
will wear headphones that provide white noise and prevent any other
distractions from getting through. Practice with each approach and find your
own preference.
You may work better when people
are around, or at least within earshot. Others need to be alone. I have
known writers that work best in libraries because they have the best of both
worlds – people around, but generally quiet people.