Bum in Chair, Pen in Hand (BICPIH)

I have heard the sentiment expressed many ways, "Ass in Chair, Fingers on Keys"; "Bottom in Seat, Hands on Keyboard", A friend from Australia used to say "Bum in Chair". Personally, I like the romantic ideal of using a Pen in Hand to capture fleeting thoughts before subjecting them to the rigors of MS Word Spellcheck and the dreaded Track Changes.

No matter how you say it, the concept is the same. The key to finishing a story, blog or book is to sit down and do it.  

Last week, I asked about your ideal place to write. 

Patricia Brooks replied that her best writing is done "in a cubicle at the library and outdoors when it is cool on the deck."

Damien Grintalis chimed in with "Sitting on my sofa, laptop balanced on my knees from midnight to 5 a.m."

And Joanna Young said "Coffee shop or anywhere my kids aren't." I know that one.

I usually work in my home office with my file folders close at hand, my hot tea at my side, the crazy yellow lab on the daybed by the window and a shelf of shoes to motivate me to work harder. However, modern technology has made it possible to work anywhere and I have been known to bang out a story or two by the pool or in a hotel room.

This week, my MasterMind Writer's Group will be meeting at The Urban Hive www.theurbanhive.com a coworking space in Sacramento designed to allow creative people to work independently while taking advantage of the collective group environment at an affordable price. This can be a big help to writers who get lonely at home or need other people to keep them accountable and out of the kitchen. Sounds more productive than sharing a space with a dog that randomly inserts her head under your hand until you remove your fingers from the keyboard to pet her.

To demonstrate the power of working together independently, the Hive has declared August 13 to be Writer's Day and will allow literary visitors to work there free. I'm looking forward to soaking in the vibe and seeing the magic for myself. 

Hope to see you there.

Yours in Writing

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long