Using the Six Senses: Sight

Today we're talking about using the gift of sight to enhance our writing space and to write more efficiently.

From last week's comments, I know many of you do not write in the same place every single time you write. I don't either. Most days I write in my office, but sometimes I write at a coffee shop, or I move my laptop to our kitchen table.


My laptop faces in the opposite direction as the window because I get distracted. And yeah, I'm snoopy. I'll watch the neighbors comings and goings, count how many birds are in the yard, determine the exact shade of the sky in an attempt to predict if it will rain. Do I want to waste my time? Of course not! It's just I'm a very visual person and it's hard for me to ignore movement. So I make sure there is no view for me to glance at when I'm writing.

When I write at a coffee shop, the lights and colors are usually conducive to help me write better. The only problem is the other customers. Movement! I can't help but check them out.

Colors and light also affect me. A too dim room may cause my mood to turn melancholy, which isn't good if I'm writing an upbeat scene. Ugly colors, clutter, or a glare on my laptop screen also affect my writing. I've learned to keep my desk tidy and the shades closed. This allows me to put out consistent work and find the correct mood for the scene.

Since I'd like to paint my office next year, I'm considering colors for it now. I don't think bright colors would work for me. Definitely not gray. I'm not an orange person. Magazines trigger ideas, so I'll just keep clipping until my brain fuses the perfect combination. The colors and decor have to soothe, have to be comfortable, have to put me in safe frame of mind.

What sights affect your writing? Windows? Light variations? Colors? I can write in almost any surroundings, but I can't always write efficiently. What about you?

Guess what? Today I'm heading to a coffee shop, but I don't even plan to write. Why not, you ask? I'm meeting fellow writer and blogger extraordinaire, Jody Hedlund, for coffee!! What a blessing! Wouldn't it be nice if we could all get together for coffee? Sigh...

Join me on Friday when we'll discuss how the sense of touch affects your writing.

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