“Finicky” and “high maintenance” aren’t usually words that describe me- at least, so I’m told.

But I may have a few idiosyncrasies when it comes to writing.

When I’m writing in one of my many notebooks or journals, a gel pen beats a scratchy old Bic any day of the week. My current fave is a Sharpie Gel. Its luscious ink glides onto the page, making my ideas flow as smoothly as the gel.

If I’m using a pencil to draft a poem in a journal or make lists on my yellow mini legal pad, it has to be a Ticonderoga. The graphite and eraser are totally dependable, right out of the box. No tips that skip and induce shivers; no smeared paper when a mistake needs to be corrected.

On the other hand, whenever I use a device to write, I‘m all about color. Whether I’m using all five fingers on a keyboard or just thumbs on my phone, highlighting a word or phrase that needs attention gives my brain permission to move ahead. That’s the same brain that’s always moving about three taps faster than my fingers. Using an ugly color, like orange, brown or yellow to highlight ensures that I will notice it and come back for a second iteration, edit, move, or deletion.

As to where I write, that all depends.

If I’m writing weekly blog posts, the family room couch works nicely. My MacBook balances well on my lap, and the house is generally quiet enough to concentrate. If I’m writing something that requires some finesse to conquer, like an email to Social Security, the dining room is a better choice. The well-worn, hard Brazilian cherry seat makes me sit up and focus more intently. There are fewer distractions out the front windows than in the back of the house. Plus, I adopt a more professional tone when I’m sitting up straight on a hard dining room chair with my feet planted firmly on the floor. 

There really is something to that same standardized testing posture I taught my students.

Fiction writing, however, is a different beast, and it has to be tamed in the office. In spite of the mess that has currently taken over the room, my lion tamer whip is more accessible there than downstairs. I can lean in, literally and figuratively, when I’m perched on the just-comfortable-enough office chair with a sciatica cushion beneath me. The extra monitor and closer proximity to my reference books mean business! So do the packed bookshelves, drafting table desk, heavy walnut credenza, and business files. Spa music playing from my phone through the bluetooth speaker beside me surrounds me with encouragement and inspiration. The place practically screams, “Step it up, girl!”

With a Ticondie and Sharpie waiting at bat atop the yellow pad on my left, my unsweetened iced tea in an insulated mug on my right, I can quickly ease into the flow of a professional writer. Hours can seem like minutes as I draft and research my way through scene after scene.

Idiosyncrasies as a writer? Not me. Not many, anyway!

What does your most effective writing work station look like?

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