Better, Faster, Funner

(My blog day was Thursday, but I was a bit under the weather. Hope you’ll excuse the tardiness of this post!)

Recently my wonderfully kind family-in-law hatched a plan. A month later, I had in my possession a gorgeous new computer that has made my writing life GOBS better. Thank you, thank you, family!

This amazing gift from the fam got me thinking. I’d been getting the job done on the old computer, but now, getting the job done is so much better, faster, and funner (sorry if that word hits your grammar funny bone, but I kinda wanted to stick with the whole –er thing.)

Here’s a list of a few other things that help me get the job done better, faster, funner. Maybe some of them help you too.

The Treadmill- Quite often, I have those writing moments where I go over something again and again and still know it’s just not quite right. A lot of times, when this happens, I hop on the treadmill, turn on some Justin Bieber (don’t tell anyone I told you I listen to him) and run. Somehow getting my mind off my writing allows my mind to get on my writing in a different way, and helps me figure out the problem. Totally weird, but totally works.

The Bathtub- I felt pretty silly having “Master Bath with a Tub not Just a Shower” be on my list of Top Ten Priorities when my husband and I were searching for our first home, but there’s something about a hot soak that gets my creative juices flowing. I have a writing notebook and pen at the ready next to the bathtub and love that feeling I get when I scribble in it. (Now as to whether or not I can always read those scribbles…)

Pandora.com-I’m obsessed with this website. Just type in an artist you like, and the website knows what other music you’ll probably like and plays it for you. If I didn’t find it so incredible, I might find it a little creepy. (A current favorite station of mine: Adele. She’s kind of amazing. And great to write to.)

Perrier-I think it might be the fizz. But, seriously, I swear, Perrier makes me a better writer. I’ve always kind of been one of those people who works better while chewing gum/crunching a pickle/sipping some raspberry tea. Perrier is the perfect writing drink because it’s cool, calorie-free, and fun to say. Perrier, Perrier, Perrier!

Control (or Command, for Mac users) F: What do you do if you decide after a couple hundred pages that the name you picked for your character (Barnaby?) just isn’t him/her? Control/Command F it. Sounds a little vulgar, works like a charm.

So, tell me, what makes you get the job done better, faster, funner? I’d love to know!