Snacking and Writing

I don't know about you, but when I'm writing a lot of times I'll get the munchies. I have have certain elements around me when I write, snacks are one of them.

When I write, I always have my MP3 player (I either have it hooked to a speaker or I have my headphones) and a Dr. Pepper. Now I don't go overboard when it comes to snacks. Just a candy or granola bar or a cracker pack and I've even had string cheese and grapes nearby.

Why not eat a big meal before you start?

Because then I'll want to take a nap instead of writing. Now don't skip a meal in favor of writing, but you really can't do your story justice if your stomach is saying "feed me" and sounding like a dying whale. It's annoying even with headphones in.

Now, I have also wrote as I am eating a meal. The second and third books of the Asagai of Mitera trilogy were written during my lunch break when I worked for a retailer. The Rangers of Aleera was writen while I was eating breakfast at McDonald's and during my lunch at my current job.

How can you eat around your computer?

I don't really. Everything I write, I write "old school". I have a wonderful collection of spiral notebooks (A little trivia for you: It took me three regular ruled one subject notebooks before I completed the rough draft of The Rangers of Aleera.)

Now when I'm typing it up, I do some snacking but I don't eat my meals around my computer. Are you crazy? As I write this I have a bunch of grapes sitting next to me on one side and a Dr. Pepper on the other.

Now, if you do snack while writing, I don't suggest a juicy fruit or a messy snack (learned my lesson with Pringles). Something light will keep the dying whale at bay.

Until next time, Friends

Thanks to Varun G for suggesting this weeks topic

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Writer's Block

Or as I like to call it, My Muse went on vacation

Now I've had a few times where my Muse went on vacation and I'm not blaming fully the event of not writing on the dreaded Writer's Block. Sometimes you just need a break. But what if you really don't know what to write next and your characters or muse aren't talking?

The following is what I do personally:

1. Draw

Yes, I do draw sometimes. I have a deviantART account just for that. (I also post fan fiction on there. Which is actually most of my posting there. Go figure.) What do I draw? Sometimes I draw scenes I've already written. Other times, I draw portraits of my characters. Other times I draw random doodles that end up in the trash. Ok most of my drawings to see the light of day, but I digress.

2. Music

No, I don't play music. I listen to music. Usually, if the people crammed into my head aren't making a peep, I head over to YouTube and start listening to "Epic Music" This is what I call it, if there's an official name let me know. My go to's are Two Steps From Hell, Immediate, X-Ray Dog, BrunuhVille and Adrian von Ziegler, just to name a few. Since I write fantasy with an epic vein, these companies and composers really help me out. Just listening to their music can trigger a scene to play out in my head. Or a "Oooo that would be perfect for this scene or this character" And then I get to writing again, inspired by their music.

Now these are just my personal techniques to combat Writer's Block. At least I no longer start another project when I get stuck. As they say, so many books so little time.

Got any tips on how to combat the monster called Writer's Block? Just leave a comment.

Until next week, Friends.

Happy Writing