What do you do when you write?

[michealmurrayart]

Do you sit in quiet contemplation? Do you listen to music? If so what kind? I know this may be a private thing for a writer but i would like to know as I am interested in your methods while writing, and what you do to unleash your full creativity?

Thanks guys and girls!

 

[Ayaka Di'rutia]

Before I write or edit/revise, I like to pray for help and inspiration to do so. I also like to listen to music while I write, things like Enya and Globus, or other music I may have. I am totally into the epic, dramatic-feeling music. While revising, I look at places where I could add more detail and feeling, which is fun.

 

[Addison]

Before I write I make sure I'm comfortable. There's nothing to distract me or pull me away from the story. I have a drink and a snack in arm's reach, I have music or a movie or some enjoyable noise in the background. I sit down, boot up the computer, open the story, read over what I finished the other night and go from there.

Oh, and before I write I eat something chocolate. Chocolate just works for me with writing.

 

[michealmurrayart]

Thanks! Very interesting to see how you go about your work!

 

[Penpilot]

I usually find a pace I can focus and just write. Sometimes that's a library. Sometimes its the food court at the mall. Sometimes it's at McDonalds. The only thing I need is my laptop and a wifi connection so I can get to Dictionary.com. I don't listen to music. I find it drowns out the voices in my head.

 

[FatCat]

I usually try to write at night, not sure why but it helps. Also, a little bit of alcohol never hurts in my case; that and some nice, smooth electronica. That is when I actually have the will to write, which is another conversation of course .

 

[Ayaka Di'rutia]

I think the time of day affects me as well; I think I most prefer doing my work in the evenings.

 

[The Unseemly]

Me? Depends in what mind phase I am. Sometimes I'm reading a novel, I put it down, go to the computer, and simply start clicking away. Sometimes, I'm listening to a particular piece of music, singing along, and then it hits me once more, that strange metaphysical hand of my book reaches me, and once more I find myself sitting in front of my computer and typing away.

 

[kayd_mon]

I have no preference, really. When an idea hits me, I'm ready to go.

 

[Chime85]

I tend to have a spread of papers and open notebooks fanned out in front of me when I write. Along with that, I will have a cup of tea on hand and I listen to a variety of music, the genre of which changes on my mood at the time. I always write alone, even if my gf is in the same room, another presence tends to block my typing hand.

Although I am usually calm and collected when I write, it's when I get stuck on a part is when I begin to try creative and odd methods to press on with y writing. I have been known to be caught sitting upside down on my sofa, head on the floor and sounding out my sentences in a variety of silly voices.

 

[Androxine Vortex]

I can not listen to music while I write because it distracts me too much. So I might listen to something before I write to get me in the mood. If I feel I want to write something epic, I'll listen to Two Steps From Hell.

If I am working on my one project which is essentially like a huge collection of stories and scriptures from a "holy book" of a mythology I invented, I will listen to Nile (They are an egyptian/middle-eastern death metal band and my book, The Ashurya, borrows a lot of elements from eastern myth)

If I am writting my one project, Sheppard of Wolves, which is based around a young Viking King seeking vengance upon those who betrayed his country and his Father, I will listen to Amon Amarth, A death metal band with viking myth theme.

If I am about to write a specific scene and it is violent or in the middle of a big battle I'll listen to something heavy like Pantera, Messhuggah, Lamb of God, Behemoth, etc. But sometimes I like to mellow and and listen to Tycho (very ambient and calming tunes)

So yeah that's me

 

[Feo Takahari]

I sometimes listen to music before writing, particularly if a specific song seems to fit the story I want to tell. However, I don't listen while writing unless it's music without lyrics--I don't want to get distracted. (And I don't write while my roommates listen to music.) I don't generally use any other calming techniques, although I prefer to write in my room with the door closed.

 

[Philip Overby]

I typically listen to music as well. Loud or soft depending on what kind of mood I'm in. I also do pre-writing before I start. Just jot down some notes about what I'm actually going to write. That way when I start, I'm not sitting there thinking, "OK, what next?" That helps keep me moving usually. Then when I'm done, I don't go back and look at what I wrote. That's for editing later. If I did that, I'd be constantly trying fix and re-arrange things and never get finished.

 

[OGone]

I procrastinate

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

I just listen to music. I find it easiest to listen to instrumental music (movie soundtracks, mostly) while writing prose, but when I'm coding, I'll listen to anything on my playlist. For some reason, listening to words with lyrics distracts me when I'm writing, but not when I'm coding.

 

[Rob P]

I have written in a variety of locations, the study(number one place), the garden, the beach, the train, the plane and on top of a mountain at lunch after skiing. One thing always remained the same. I wrote something everyday. Sometimes it would be 1,500 words, while another just 50 but always something.

When I can put music on in the background, I will or headphones. I have a huge collection of music and can randomly search similar sounding tracks to any one I choose. Mood music as you will. Put it all on random play and let the mood take me. Angry music, music for lovers, great sweeping landscapes of music, fast paced scores.

Make writing a part of your life.

 

[Motley]

At home, in my room, at night, with headphones on and either listening to silence, something from ambient-mixer.com or actual music which follows the mood of what I'm writing.