#RRBC Spotlight Author, Mark Bierman

Published on by Jan Sikes

I am happy to host Author, Mark Bierman, the November Spotlight Author at the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB! 

He is the author of Vanished, a compelling and gritty story about human trafficking.

Today, he has some advice about an author’s writing environment.

How to set up your writing space

Where you write can almost be as critical as how you write. Here are a few tips on setting up your writing space.

Be Choosy.

It’s all about environment. That’s a different animal for everyone. No one knows your comfort level better than you. Maybe you can complete your masterpiece while standing at the island in the kitchen, as your pre-schooler plays the soup pan drum. Perhaps you require a sensory deprivation chamber just to type the date. Most of us fit somewhere in between.

An unused spare room, away from the general traffic areas, could make an ideal crafter’s cave. If space is at a premium, investing in multi-purpose furniture and/or an adjustment of writing schedule, may be wise.

Multiply those screens.

If you find switching into a different tab or window annoying, try adding another screen. I find this particularly useful when conducting research. One screen is dedicated to searching Google, while the other remains on the manuscript. This can also be applied to social media and emails.

Smell your way to success.    

There has been some research indicating that aromatherapy may increase brain function. Peppermint and lavender scents may enhance focus, while lemon may decrease those nasty typos.

Be Neat.

If you don’t use it, lose it. Clutter begets confusion and distraction, so toss the trash and store the items that you aren’t currently using.

Light up your life.

Want to improve productivity and avoid headaches? Proper lighting is the key. While natural light is best, if you write in a windowless room, LED lights are a suitable replacement. Avoid bright light directly on your computer screen. This can be accomplished by repositioning the workstation, or using shades and light diffusers.

This list is not exhaustive, there are many other wonderful ideas for building your writing nest.

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9781483448121_COVER.indd

VANISHED, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E4CZHIO/

Blurb:

Tragedy . . . heartache . . . how much more can Tyler Montgomery and John Webster take? This missions trip, the “healing” one, has only added fresh layers of pain. Construction of an orphanage in Haiti’s northwest . . . yes. But a doomed rescue operation, human traffickers, human anomalies, extreme personal danger . . . risk of death? They hadn’t signed up for those.

 

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author photo color

Author Bio:

Born and raised on a farm near Brockville, Ontario, Mark’s childhood consisted of chores, horseback riding, snowmobile races, fishing trips to local lakes, and many other outdoor adventures. He was, and remains, an avid reader of many genres.

Transitioning into adulthood also meant moving from the farm into large urban areas that introduced this ‘country boy’ to ‘big city’ life.

Drawing on his many experiences as a private investigator, and later, a correctional officer, Mark combines his unique experiences and imagination to create stories and characters.

 

Follow Mark online!

Twitter:   @mbiermanauthor

Facebook: Facebook

Website:  markbierman.com

 

69 thoughts on “#RRBC Spotlight Author, Mark Bierman”

  2. Hi, Mark,
    So sorry I’m late to the party – wrapped up in my writing is and can be my only excuse! There would be no other reason…
    I believe you are offering some worthy advice for the environment in which we writers write. My environment I would not recommend to any ‘young writer’ – my LAZYBOY in the den. It is rare when I go elsewhere to write…years ago, when I started writing seriously, I had a library/office set-up at our 80-acre ranch in Arizona – that was a lovely environment. Looking south out my big office window I could see the Sierra Madre Mountains in old Mexico to the south, the Chiricahua Mountains and Dos Cabezas Mountains to the east, and the Dragoon Mountains to the west.
    The non-working ranch was called ‘The Lazy Rabbit Ranch’ – that felt appropriate enough… Hell, I’ve always been ‘lazy’! Most of my ‘Bailey Crane Mysteries’ (1-6) were written at TLRR – the movers lost the original ‘book 2’ manuscript of the series in one of our moves (and no back-up copy!)… To this day, I still don’t know how it was the movers lost just one box of the many manuscript boxes available for them to lose. Wrote a new book 2 and the lost manuscript was re-written as the ‘stand-alone’ STRANGER ABDUCTION.
    Here in ‘Twilight’, the words come well enough here, comfortable, in my Lazyboy…it’s also used for napping!
    You’re a good writer, Mark, and I wish you all the very best in your career. Again, sorry to be tardy for your ‘Spotlight’! Keep writing! Good things will happen for you… ♥♥♥
    Billy Ray

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  9. Multiply those screens? I know this suggestion seems like a no-brainer but could you elaborate a little? I’m not sure how to create a screen but it sounds like something I need to look into. Hi Jan!

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    1. Hi Shirley, sorry, I should have explained it better (the multiple screen). We purchased an additional monitor and set up our laptop in a way that enabled us to view a different web page on each screen.

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  10. Useful tips, Mark. I agree with Vashti, I often use my iPhone and iPad, along with my MacBook, to work simultaneously. I love scents and, as yet, I’ve not tried aromatherapy! I’m giving that a try. Thanks for hosting, Jan!

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    1. Essential oils are wonderful, Linda. Lavender is very relaxing, peppermint picks me up and lemon makes me happy. And there are so many oils to try. Once you try them you won’t want to write without a diffuser nearby. 😉 xo

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  12. Hello Mark! Great tips on setting up your writing space. I enjoy putting on my aroma therapy diffuser with either lavender, peppermint or lemon essential oils depending on my mood. You’re so right about needing multiple screens when doing research. I have often used my laptop, iPad and iPhone simultaneously while doing research for my books. I have gotten headaches in the past for not using proper lighting, so having sufficient lighting in your space is key. Thank you for the great tips and reminders, Mark. Thank you, Jan for hosting! ❤ xo

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    1. The multiple screens are definitely a must. As for the writing space, I only recently moved mine from the kitchen table, to a spare room that we made into an office. Thank you for visiting today, Vashti!

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    2. Thank you for your lovely comment, Vashti. It’s always great to hear other suggestions and what works for someone else. I admit I use my phone quite a bit as well. And I love diffusing the essential oils. All of the fragrances you listed are my faves!

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    2. I agree with you Eric, though it may, at times, be difficult, it’s vital to carve out time for writing in our busy lives. Having a proper and stress-free writing environment helps tremendously. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and respond.

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      1. Peace and quiet are definitely preferable! And, yes, carving out time is essential. Life has a way of convincing us that everything else is more important. We should chat sometime about the conditions under which I wrote the first draft of my book. I think you would find it interesting.

        Liked by 2 people

  20. Wonderful tips. I really like the idea of adding another screen and keeping that one open for research. I’m constantly opening new tabs and windows when I write for that reason. Of course, then there’s the matter of desk top space, LOL.
    Wishing Mark all the best!

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. So true, Mae. I too, am always flipping back and forth between screens, but I find that I can also set my laptop up next to me and use it. Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment! Have a great day!

      Liked by 1 person

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    2. I would try that, Staci, but sadly my typing skills are but one notch above the “hunt and peck” style . . . if I couldn’t see the keys, I’d be constantly having to retype. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by today!

      Liked by 1 person

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  24. Wow, this sounds like a great book. If you recommend it, then it has to be awesome. Thank you for sharing this with us.
    Have an awesome week! Love & hugs.

    Liked by 2 people

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