“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut.” – Stephen King

On occasion someone will ask me about my writing process. Morning vs evening, note-taking, outlines, and so on. How do I keep long term projects like book proposals on track while writing assessments, summaries, and weekly newsletters?
The most helpful advice I was given is having a routine. Build some momentum. I write in the morning. I use the timer on my phone and give myself an uninterrupted twenty minutes to an hour each day. When the alarm tells me to end a writing session I don't finish my thought, but instead make some notes on what I should write tomorrow.
I wear headphones when I write. I have a pair of over the ear Sony studio headphones but lately have been using my dorky noise-canceling headset. The one with the orange cord and the microphone boom. With all the construction in the house and neighborhood it helps muffle the extraneous noises.
I listen to classical piano music. Right now I'm on a Martha Agerich kick. Her albums are long, and I don't know any of the music, keeping me focused. The funny thing about listening to classical music is the recordings are not made in soundproof studios. They are live and with headphones on you can hear the room. There is a shuffling as everyone settles in for a listen. There are times you can hear the artist's breathing. It's a very intimate experience. I can imagine being in a conservatory on an uncomfortable folding chair fumbling with my program trying to look smart and listen.
There are times when you hear distracting things in the background too. Sometimes it's a chair squeak, other times a cough. It's jarring because it sounds like they're in the room with you. As I write I hear someone sneeze. It's a loud, distinctive "Ahh-choooo" but it's distant, like the person is in the back of the room.
Then I hear a second sneeze. My train of thought is broken. I think wow, they are committed to getting this performance on tape. It's almost unprofessional. I can't believe they let that person stay in the room. By the time the third sneeze comes I am out of my chair because I've heard this sneeze before. Many times. It's the long hold on the "choooo" part of that gives it away. Now distracted, I take off the headphones and peek around the corner at my lovely bride.
"What?" she says, dabbing tissue to her nose. "I'm sorry, I can't help it."
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