How Do You Write?

I am a journal and pen type of writer. On Tuesday night of this week, to be more specific January 14, 2013 I attended my writer's group. Before anyone else showed up I got a mug of dark roast coffee,  plugged in some old albums of Bob Dylan that I have stored on my MP3 player, pulled my journal from my book bag and put pen in hand. I briefly glanced where I left off Chapter 05 of my new novel "Pagan Mirth" and began to write, and write and write some more. When others began to arrive, I put pen down, closed my journal and unplugged Bob Dylan.

We started our discussion portion of our gathering was started when I read the first sentence of a book I just started Reading, "Third Grave Dead Ahead" by Darynda Jones, "There was a dead clown sitting in my living room." For a mystery reader and author I felt that was a great hook. I instantly wanted to read more and everyone agreed. We discussed how to hook the reader either by a sentence or by the first paragraph or by a prologue. In this instance, it was the first sentence of chapter 1.

We discussed how build a character that readers like or can relate to on the character level. We talked about how to much description can "turn-off" the reader. You want to give hints and clues about a scene and a character letting the reader to fill in the blanks using their own experiences, then the reader owns the story and the characters become theirs and they can become intimate with them.

We always end our sessions with a timed writing. I love timed writings! I have a gallon size Zip Lock bag with slips of paper with prompts typed on them. We all pull one from the bag and write for any where from 15 minutes to 20 minutes using the prompt as a catalyst or having the prompt used somewhere within the story. The prompt I picked was "The green dark forest". I wrote what could be a part of Chapter 05 of "Pagan Mirth" or perhaps a part of a future chapter. It all depends on where the characters lead me.

I arrived at home hoping to continue with my Chapter 05. I sat at the computer after transcribing what I had already written, and I stared at the screen. It was as if someone took an eraser to the creative side of my brain. There I sat, and sat, and sat. Forty-five minutes later, I gave up. This morning with just a few minutes to spare before having to start work, I again had a cup of coffee, Bob Dylan, my journal and my pen. In about fifteen minutes I had 5 pages written. I have two muses telling me what to write and they are also my spiritual advisers; they are two very familiar and prominent New Testament  characters. When the mood sets in they can be quite the characters, too. Who they are will remain a mystery for a few months. I can tell you that once I have that first word on the page, my mind races, and hand with pen attached at the working end starts moving.  When I run out of words, I go to bed and they work on the story in my mind as I sleep. I get up in the morning gather my notes taken during the night and try to make sense of it. Most of the time I have trouble remembering my vivid technicolor dreams; lately that hasn't bee an issue.

By way of comment, please share with us how you like to write. Is it by using a keyboar?. Is it by pen and a piece of writing paper? Is it pen and journal? What works for you and why?