Writers like to talk about writing in a cave. But until recently, that was only a metaphor for me.
Lately, though, I've found that my creativity flows better if I pull the shades tight and keep the lights off. Then I open my manuscript in Scrivener's composition mode. This way I only see my text document on top of a background image. I fade out the white text background until I can see the image. That way I don't focus as much on my words and I'm not as tempted to edit as I type. I have to keep that forward momentum!
I'm currently using an image of the jungle I downloaded from a stock photo site as my background image. I had been using an image of the solar system, but the brightness at the center was too distracting, so I had to find a photo that didn't have such a central bright spot.
Here's what my desk looks like with the shades tight. The windows are getting the morning sun, so it's not perfectly dark. But the dimness is enough to satisfy my muse.
I have to confess that it's hard to adjust to the harshness of regular light once I'm done writing. It can take me up to half an hour to completely come out of my fugue state! LOL
What's your preferred working environment?
