How do you prefer to write?

[thedarknessrising]

What do you usually do when you write? Do you have any "rituals," or traditions?

I'll sit at my desk, put my MP3 player on softly, and start writing. Sometimes I take a break and go read, to try to cultivate my imagination.

 

[JCFarnham]

It often has to be past midnight for me... Apparently I'm at my most creative when I really should be doing other things. Like sleeping.

In my opinion, it is vital that writers get to learn how and when they write the best. I've blogged about it. Once you can identify that optimum time period, or setting, or ritual, you can throw out the rest and get on with being more productive and efficient.

 

[yachtcaptcolby]

I tend to get a lot done when I'm not at home. The coffee shop, the beach, or a random park are all great places to just sit and work. And sometimes the various people you see are great inspiration for characters or scenes.

 

[thedarknessrising]

I agree yachtcaptcolby. I was in my Newspaper class, and I cranked out at least three pages of my novel yesterday. I don't really do that at home.

 

[Penpilot]

For the most part I just need my laptop, an internet connection for dictionary.com, a quiet place/place where I can ignore the noise, and that place ideally isn't home. Home is for relaxing and subconsciously I find that's what my mind does. When I'm away from home, it helps me focus on what I need to do, be productive.

 

[yachtcaptcolby]

Ha! I used to do the same. Growing up, I was one of those lucky kids who could just kind of look at whatever was on the blackboard and remember them. While everybody else was busy taking notes and asking questions, I was cranking out novels in my spiral notebooks and occasionally jotting down something that seemed important or difficult in the margins.

 

[thedarknessrising]

Exactly! Part of the reason I didn't do so well in math last year was because I had my novel out (it's in a composition notebook, like my math notebook was) and I would write my story. In hindsight, not such a good idea....

 

[Butterfly]

I think it's important not to get hooked on 'ritual', otherwise, how are you going to write anything when you can't fulfil that ritual?

Carry a pen and note book with you, and just do it, wherever, whenever, however.

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

I turn on instrumental music. I find it hard to write if there's lyrics. That's about it, though.

 

[FatCat]

I couldn't imagine trying to write without the following:

1: My long table, perfect height. It's amazing
2: My computer chair. Again, amazing.
3: Pandora (triphop is a new favorite of mine, it incorporates lyrics but it's so smooth it doesn't distract.)
4: Coffee, lots of it. If I won the lottery I'd build a coffee river like the chocolate one from Willy Wonka and live in happiness forever.
5: A full pack of Camel 99's.

 

[The Dark One]

I've had numerous rituals over the years. These days I do most of my writing on the commuter train - the hour flashes past.

A funny story from years ago (which I may have told before)...I woke up at three a.m. from a visually spectacular dream with a profound yet coherent storyline. Immediately I knew it was a million dollar idea for a story and leapt out of bed to jot it down. Unfortunately, I was a smoker in those days, but when I glanced into my pack there were only two cigarettes, and there was no way I could 'write' without a cigarette burning in the ashtray. After a moment's indecision, I leapt into the car, still half asleep, and drove up to the all-night petro station. I purchased cigarettes and jumped back into the car, already mentally spending the millions I was going to make.

Alas, by the time I got home, I'd completely woken up, my brainwaves had changed and I could no longer remember the story.

Whatever you do...don't smoke!