by Jim
Hi Jim,
I do have a question! Since you posted about a song in the beginning of this post, I’m interested in whether you ever multi-task while writing? What is your process? I usually listen to White Noise when I’m writing. Is it different for you? Maybe you listen to music, or nothing?
Hi Saniyyah,
Admittedly, I’m a bit of a scatterbrain. If you ever meet me in person, I come off as somewhat stoic and calm… or so I’m told, but the truth is while I’m sitting there listening to you talk, my mind is actually processing about a hundred different pieces of information at the same time. These include questions that I want to answer, things I have to do for work, fleshing out story lines, brainstorming new story ideas, wondering what’s going on with my family, and the list goes on.
Phew…
All right… now because my mind is going a mile a minute, usually I’ve got a bunch of things going on at once on my computer screen. I’ll have my favorite news programs on either on one screen or on the TV, music playing on YouTube, I’ll be doing some work, typing out another section of my story, paying bills or filling out paperwork that needs to be completed, as well as detailing anything else I have to do during the day. Believe it or not, I’m actually the most comfortable with that level of ‘chaos’ in my life. If it’s too quiet, I’m usually ready to freak out. I don’t like uncomfortable silences.
There’s no real process other than that. I write when I’m comfortable and I typically have a ton of other things going on as well. Hope that answers your question!
Readers,
Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.
I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.
Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:
http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU
Note:
If you have read my books, PLEASE log into Amazon and post a review. I really love to hear everyone’s thoughts and constructive criticisms. Reviews help get my book attention and word of mouth is everything in this business!
Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!
-Jim
James Harringtons Creative Work 
I can relate to this! I can never do one thing at a time, and my mind is always running a mile a minute.
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I’m actually the opposite. When I’m writing my mind is silent and I concentrate only on the story I’m writing at that moment. This is also true for everything else that I do. I’m being in the Now as much as I can in any given moment and, when I’m doing something, I concentrate on that alone.
By the way, thanks for the like!
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James, I have much the same kind of traffic running around in my mind (I believe that’s part of what helps me write.) It can be particularly dangerous when in the middle of serious personal conversations, although I’ve run into problems with it on my day job as well. I have to work hard to focus on what’s actually happening outside my head.
We’re all different of course, and some divide their attention better than others, but I don’t believe there is any true multi-tasking (at least not if you want to do something well – multi-tasking means that full focus isn’t being given to any one thing. To be effective, I have to focus on one thing (no matter how many times my brain tries to take off in 50 directions), and if I am distracted from the task at hand, it takes a while to get back into that task (I used to be faster at switching IN MY YOUTH, but not so much now.
When I write, I can’t have things going on in the background – I’m too easily distracted, and it WILL influence (and possibly destroy) the voice that’s being worked “on the paper” at the time. But whatever works for you – that’s the only right or wrong that matters.
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