What works for me as a writer?

Here are a five things I have discovered work for me as a writer.

1. Having a netbook.
  My netbook allows me to write anywhere, and I take it everywhere. I got a used netbook for around $150, and I have been using it a lot. Now I can write in the car, at a park, or even at a restaurant that has free Wi-Fi.

2. Writing my first draft as quick as possible.
  After the first 30 pages of my first draft I was having a hard time thinking of what was going to happen next. I was too worried about how my writing was sounding and could not come up with any ideas. So instead, I decided to write without correcting anything, and as fast as I could. This helped me with my ideas and I was able to  finish my first draft in a week. Now I can go back and work on the tone of my novel.

3. Finding the best time to work.
  I have found that 11pm to about 4am works best for me. This is when everyone else is in bed, so I have no interruptions. Without distractions I am able to write considerably better.

4. Reading books in the same point of view as my story.
  I got a few books from the Library that I really enjoyed reading, which are in the same point of view as my story. When I looked at the novels again, this time I studied them as a writer. What did I like in there writing? What worked well for them? This made it more clear what I was lacking in my own novel.

5. Reading my novel out loud when I am writing.
  Now I am working on my second draft, and am trying to develop a good tone and flow. I tend to write a couple of paragraphs and then read them out loud. This helps me see what flows well and what does not. Reading aloud also allows me to edit my work better. Because I am reading slower I can see the errors in my writing.

Sincerely,
R.J. Ropsen