December 1, 2005

Oh, No! I Can't Remember That...

There's nothing worse when you're writing than not having the information you need, at your fingertips. I know, a lot of writers say not to leave the writing zone and get sidetracked with research stuff, but I cannot help it, especially when I am trying to imagine the details of a scene, especially in historical fiction.

I find that having a consistent writing setup with all my usual internet resources at my fingerips helps me get "into the zone" quicker and makes for a more enjoyable writing experience for me.

So I thought I would share what has worked for me:

• MS Word open to the appropriate chapter (with outline/plot points to cover already listed. Just type over it as you go)
  
• Music folder on repeat in music player
  
• Explorer window open to My Novel directory
  
• Browser window open to Dictionary/Thesaurus
  
• Browser open to Wikipedia Encyclopedia for quick research
  
• Google Deskbar available for quick internet searches
  
• Optional Reference: Google Maps (E.g. Map of London)
  
• Optional Reference: OneLook Reverse Dictionary
  
• Optional Reference: Google Sets