I like to play chess. I even played for a club in a lower league. I'd say I'm an average okay player— except I am writing a novel; as I found out lately: then I play like my 10 year old me, even losing the queen, twice in a row in 2 games. After that I stopped playing (about a week ago). I will wait until I have finished this novel. If I am writing I am chess blind, my entire mental power, energy, concentration seems get absorbed in the writing process leaving me with zero for anything else. What is a good sign.
Writing a novel during lockdown with kids at home isn't easy either. I can close the door to my office/studio/room, but in order to concentrate—despite the occasional pre-/& teenage noises—I need a bed of music I can rest my mind in and let my mind wander. That type of music is very rare for me. It is not study or chill hip hop. So far I have discovered two styles: the music of Bohren & der Club of Gore and the ambient music of Max Wuerden provide me both with calm and inspiration at the same time.
Another research fiction book, a surprise find at the local Value Village: Henry Rollins' “Solipsist”. I grabbed it for a few bucks, and I devour it page by page, not a novel, more an experimental journey into the mind of a solipsist, dark and wonderful, rendered in short vignettes one or two pages long. So far best read in 2021. Unfortunately this book is out of print, since it was published by the master himself in his own edition.
Thank you for your time, I hope you enjoyed the glimpse into my life.
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Bev M A May 16, 2021
Glad to hear that your writing process is so occupying your mind that you cannot play your best Chess game. Sounds like you are finding the writing “zone”. I find music distracting when I’m concentrating, but the radio with mindless stories is a good “tune out” background for me. Bev
author May 22, 2021 — Post author
Music is a very difficult choice, yes, that’s why there are just two options for me, and not everything from them – and I can’t do it for hours at a time. Words I can not hear during writing a novel (not in a song nor radio, or in a cafe) – poetry or songs is a different story, most of my lyrics and poetry I wrote in public (cafe, bars, trains, bus…).