Q: Is there a specific environment you find most conducive to writing, and is it different for different kinds of scenes?
A: I wish I were the kind of person that could write well anywhere. I’ve tried writing in a coffee shop or other public place, but I’m far too easily distracted and I end up watching people most of the time instead of working. The same goes for having a television or radio on. When my kids were younger I could write while keeping an ear out for them, but now I can’t work with them around at all because I’d much rather just hang out and chat with them. These days I write best in a quiet room painted in cool colours with the temperature kept just a shade below where I’m most comfortable so I stay alert. I try to keep my desk neat, but usually it’s a little cluttered with items that have memories attached, evoking specific emotions that I can use to shape a character’s voice or the tone of a scene. It’s a little crazy what a little bottle of wood glue can bring to mind.
Charlotte H. Lee’s story “HOPper” was published in Metaphorosis on Friday, 21 July 2017. Subscribe to our e-mail updates so you’ll know when new stories go live.
