Gabriel Lott

Habits as a Writer

I don’t really have any outrageous habits when I write. I guess my typical routine for writing

would be to sit down and write it all in one sitting. For longer research papers, I might take breaks in

between sections in order to plan out what I’m going to write next. Most of the time, I just write on the

fly. As I’m writing, I plan out the details based on the overarching structure I have devised. Another thing

I always do is listen to music while I do school work. Whether writing a paper or reading stuff for class,

I’m always listening to music, ranging from instrumental soundtracks to classic country to classic rock.

The music helps me tune out the rest of the world and focus on what I’m reading or writing. I also

typically drink a caffeinated soda when writing to keep myself focused and active. I strive to avoid

distractions while I am writing, and so far I have been very good at it. Most of the time when I write I just

want to get it over with as fast as possible while still doing a good job. The best part of writing for me is

finishing a paper that I enjoyed writing, and the sense of relief that comes after spending a few hours

writing something that I’m really proud of. My motto for writing is “git ‘er done, but do a good job!” I

don’t really follow the typical writing process of brainstorming, outlining, and drafting. I mostly just turn

into a fluid, mechanical writing machine when I have something to write and do it all at once. More often

than not recently, when I am writing something particularly exciting or engaging, I get so caught up in the

writing that I spend hours writing and I don’t feel the slightest bit bored or worn out by the experience.

When I’m writing about something I like or feel strongly about, my writing can be both enjoyable and

well written. Many times this semester I’ve had grand ideas for a paper, and I’ve had to cut it short to

maintain the word limit. I would say that most of the “writing” I do is more in my head than on the paper.

While I definitely spend an ample amount of time actually writing a paper, I spend countless hours ahead

of time thinking up ideas and outline my works while going about my daily routine. I guess this pretty

much sums up my habits as a writer!