For those who write - How?

[Trevor B Harper]

I have a question for people who have an affinity towards writing - How do you write? Do you use a pen or a keyboard? Total quiet or with music? Certain moods or whenever you feel like it? In general, what conditions are met when you jumble words together into sentences and texts?


I, myself, have to be alone in a room with orchestral/classical-esque music on, otherwise I can't write at all, I get distracted by too many things. However, when this music is on and I am alone in a room, I can write away for hours and hours non stop.

 

[Grey]

I only use a keyboard. I can write at any time and place, as long as I'm not exhausted. My preferred way to write is alone, in the middle of the night, with a pot of coffee and the collected OSTs of the Silent Hill franchise.


I write when I have deadlines, when I feel like it, and I try to write even when I don't feel like it.

Writer's block? I've heard of this. This is when a writer cannot write, yes? Then that person isn't a writer anymore. I'm sorry, but the job is getting up in the fucking morning and writing for a living. Warren Ellis

 

[Trevor B Harper]

That quote is actually really true. But how can you not be exhausted if you write in the middle of the night? :question:

 

[Grey]

[QUOTE="Trevor B Harper]That quote is actually really true. But how can you not be exhausted if you write in the middle of the night? :question:

[/QUOTE]
Because I'm largely nocturnal and writing is, like, 80% of what I do.

 

[Trevor B Harper]

Hah. That makes sense.

 

[J0ker]

For me, I only write if I'm in the mood. If I'm not in the mood, my writing suffers, which is not acceptable for my high standards.


Usually I listen to music (metal + action scenes = awesome), and I only write on a keyboard. My hand writing is vastly inferior compared to my writing prose...

 

[Ignitedstar]

Alone. In Room. All I want to hear is me talking to myself about the story, the humming of my computer, and the typing of the keyboard. That is my music.


Interestingly enough, when I am drawing, I like music on. Otherwise I talk to myself too much and I have learned about myself that while I am drawing, my criticisms to myself bar me from doing any drawing at all. Music drowns the critic in my head.

 

[Fus ro dah]

I write mostly on my laptop and hand write in notebooks when I'm out and about, although with a tablet on the way... that might change. I seem to write better in the evening, once the sun sets. Music or a show put down on the corner of my screen helps, although music is less distracting. I wrote the last half of Mournful Strings listening to JUST ONE BAND, TWO ALBUMS, OVER AND OVER. The music was perfect for the story for some reason. I've got good gaming headphones that sound pretty damn awesome, they block out most outside sounds too.

 

[Skari-dono]

I tend to prefer keyboard, but I sometimes write on a piece of paper during working hours if I find the time. While at work, I write the first thing that I can think of, make no corrections, and limit it to a single A5 piece of paper. Micro-stories, if you will. I am writing a longer story, but I haven't worked on it for a while (my wife has been encouraging me to continue though).

 

[Hatchet]

I pretty much bring a notebook or journal with me wherever I go, and usually if I don't, I regret it. I can and do write anywhere, including family gatherings and parties with friends, outside alone, at home, and while traveling. While I do sometimes write on a computer, typically the internet is too distracting. If I have music on, it has to be without lyrics. I can't write with a movie or show in the background. Sometimes a scene, story or character will grab me so hard it doesn't matter what I'm doing or what other obligations pressing on me, I have to get at least a part of it down.


I don't have a very good track record for finishing projects, but I am always writing.

 

[Trevor B Harper]

I love that there's a lot of diversity. Everyone does it differently. That's what I love about writing. It's unique. ^^

 

[J0ker]

[QUOTE="Trevor B Harper]I love that there's a lot of diversity. Everyone does it differently. That's what I love about writing. It's unique. ^^

[/QUOTE]
Maybe I'm weird, but I like a bit of purple prose. Just not in excess.

 

[Trevor B Harper]

[QUOTE="THE J0KER]Maybe I'm weird, but I like a bit of purple prose. Just not in excess.

[/QUOTE]
Define purple prose. :?

 

[Skari-dono]

Like regular prose, only purple?

 

[J0ker]

[QUOTE="Trevor B Harper]Define purple prose. :?

[/QUOTE]
Very wordy prose.

 

[Hatchet]

Purple prose is excessively descriptive writing. Using multiple adjectives and variations on the same term/concept.

 

[Dusky]

I use my laptop usually, because it's easier to edit, but I plan out chapters and such on paper. I loooove a good pen. With my poetry I use my laptop and my notebook about 50/50, but they always wind up on my laptop eventually.


My absolute favorite way to write is outside in perfect temperatures alone near water in my notebook... I know, specific. But it helps me enter zen mode.