L. L. Fine is an author (check out his Amazon profile), scriptwriter and partner in a startup company. He lives in Modi’in, Israel and subsidizes his beloved family. (Photo taken by Bella Fine)
1. The Space
My study is situated in the smallest room of the smallest apartment in the (almost) smallest building in the (almost) smallest city in Israel. It’s cluttered and windowless, but a huge fan injects turbulent wind into it from the doorway and the garden beside it. I never lock the door; it’s the only aperture in the room.
2. Writing Schedule
My best writing hours are at night, but night-writing doesn’t work with family life so I’ve established daytime writing habits. My day is divided as follows: at 8 a.m. I send my kids to school and then I work until they return around noon. Then it’s time for my siesta – yay! At 4 p.m. I get up and write some more until 6-7 p.m. On rare occasions I add another writing session at night.
3. Work Screen
It’s nice and big. I use it during 70% of the time when working on my clients’ professional projects and on my new book.
4. Fun Screen
Not as nice and not as big. It tends to disturb the work screen, but I accept it with love. I usually write with Facebook open, it makes me feel like I have an audience.
5. Cellphone Earphones
Because sometime I have to talk on the phone… I also use them when I need to separate myself from the family noises coming from outside the room.
6. Backup Computer
As a matter of fact it’s one of my three backup computers. Incidentally this one is a Mac. It defends my materials against viruses that have amorous feelings for windows. Sometimes I write on it too, but not in my study – in my garden. Anyway, I find it more comfortable to type on an ergonomic keyboard and look at a big screen.
7. Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard
It’s a must. It enables one to type very comfortably and provides me with a great advertising contract with Microsoft, they’ve just forgotten to pay me for the last decade or so…
8. Bills
To remind me why I work.
9. A Cup of Strong Black Coffee
The second out of the four cups I drink every day.
10. Music
I usually write with meditation music in the background. Lately I’ve discovered Native American music.
11. All the Rest is Junk
Or that it’s so important that there’s no point in stashing it away in a drawer. When I write I concentrate and the physical world disappears, so the junk doesn’t bother me. And when I’m not writing? Well, it doesn’t bother me then either seeing as I’m not writing…