Your Writing Area

So, do you guys have a specified area for writing? Like, your writing chair, or a specific notebook, or whatever. Do certain requirements have to be met before you start writing? Once you start writing, is it hard for you to stay focused on what you're doing?

For me, I don't really have a specified writing area, but there are some conditions that have to be met. Whenever I write, I always have to have a cup of chocolate milk, and some sort of warm snack. It used to be popcorn, but my current microwave doesn't pop popcorn very well, so now my go to snack is toast. As long as I have those two items, I'm pretty much set. Music helps greatly, but only songs without lyrics. Otherwise, I focus too much on what the singer is saying, and then I get distracted.

Once I get going, I'm pretty focused, but I do get distracted easily. I have to do all of my research beforehand, because once I go online, I do everything but research, haha.

The thing I do before writing is make sure there's a cup of coffee next to my laptop. After I have a coffee ready I look at the previous writing and wonder where my imagination needs to go for my readers can still enjoy the story. (I always like evolving my characters) I also have to have music playing because the noises other than the music is a distraction.

The area where I write is my dining room because it has the biggest lighting in the house. At night is the best time to write especially because it's so quiet. Haha, my headphones are a plus because of the music.

Typically, I will jot down an entire story outline in a My Little Pony notebook I bought last year, which I take with pretty much anywhere (home, car, work, etc.). If I'm feeling ambitious, I'll even do a full rough draft before even thinking about typing things up. I've found that an outline, at the very least, helps me keep focused when I actually do settle down to write on my laptop, which is normally situated either in my living room or bedroom. Also, I sometimes listen to game music, so long as it's active and helps stimulate ideas. Additionally, I may do character sketches to further refine my ideas before typing them or putting them to pen.

When I'm not home I usually write ideas on my cellphone's notes app, but once I'm on my laptop I only need a nice soundtrack that suits the kind of mood I'm writing, and to be alone or disconnected from the rest of the world (headphones). That's why I usually write after midnight since everyone's sleeping and I can have enough peace to concentrate (my family's apartment is really small, by the way).

I've found out that being just a little deprived of sleep sometimes helps me think of better ideas but makes the process indeed much slower.

I have a laptop so I can pretty much take it anywhere and be able to write. I write in bed, on my couch, on campus, in class, wherever and whenever. Music helps, too, if I can listen at the time.

If I have to have food/drink, I'll get soda. And chocolate. Needless to say, I try to avoid this.

Energy drink, background noise (usually tv on a random channel), and a cat.

I just sit with my laptop where I want and when I have some inspiration after reading my last chapter I start writing. After writing I also post it on DeviantArt looking for a bigger audience and more comments about my story and writing style.