Writing quirks

[Starbeam]

Anyone got 'em?  Like anything you have to do, or specific place to write, or whatnot?

My biggest one is that I have to write by hand on paper.  And then type it up.  I've been told that what I write on the computer is more stilted than otherwise.  Or rather, my b/f pointed out one passage, compared to another that was much more organic and flowing, and that was the biggest difference.

[meg_evonne]

none that I know of...  unless it's visiting JB before getting busy writing.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

I write on a laptop in bed, I susually have music for writing new sections though not for revising... I always set things to yellow text on dark blue background, but that's not a personality quirk, that's because I have weird eyesight... not sure of anything else that would count.

[LizW65]

I write on a tilting  laptop desk that I pull up to my bed.  I prefer uninterrupted silence to write -- no music unless it's VERY quiet and instrumental, no TV playing in the background.  Sometimes I play a couple games of solitaire if I'm agitated or stressed; it helps me relax and get in the "zone".

[RobJN]

On days off, I make coffee before trudging to the old office. As the coffee maker gurgles away, I go over what i'd written on my previous stint at the keyboard. Once the coffee maker sighs its last, I fix myself a cup, and get to work on the next section with the fresh cup of coffee.

In most cases, I like to have background music running on iTunes, to help promote the ol' Delta wave-state. So I pick the tune on the playlist closest to the mood of the section I'm writing, and loop it.

In creative writing while I was in college, I had one piece that was written to a mix of U2 and the Cranberries. Normally, though, I can't work with English lyrics in the background, so I listen to either instrumental, trance, or foreign stuff.

[Starbeam]

I do similar with music.  Though I have a tendency to make playlists to fit certain moods, and put multiple tracks in there.  Looped music would be one of the things that would distract me, and I would end up focusing more on that than the writing.

Don't know if this one falls under a quirk, or just writing style type thingie, but I generally get a character or scene, and write from that for about 15-30 pages, then I have to stop and do the actual world building and fleshing out of everything before I can continue.  I also have a tendency to write some, go back and rewrite and writer further, and repeat that.  Though currently I'm attempting to write the whole way through before going back.  And I have to write linearly.  My mind can't wrap around something like writing the full scenes in my head and going back for the rest.  It's like building a person with the major organs first, then going back and putting in the connective tissue and muscles and skin and all.

[meg_evonne]

I do the music heart and soul type instrumental.  I think it's time that I got a good quirk going.  I mean, what's the good of saying you write if you are eccentric or something...

[BobForPresident]

According to Dave Gross (an author for Forgotten Realms), I have a tendency to be "purple", but since then I think I've gotten that under control.

My current problem is I go to the eyes for emotion too much ("her eyes narrowed", "his eyes widened in shock", "her eyes went blank", blah, blah, blah).

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

I mostly listen to music that I either know every note of, or that's in a language I do not speak, so it does not mess with the word parts of my brain. (Yay German industrial bands.)

I do also have a tape of dance remixes of the theme from Titanic which my stalker bought me as a birthday present, which I keep to play while I am writing charactes in situations that are a specific shape of very uncomfortable. This works.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

According to Dave Gross (an author for Forgotten Realms), I have a tendency to be "purple", but since then I think I've gotten that under control.

Steve Brust said I was cute once, but I do not think he was talking about my writing.

[BobForPresident]

I mostly listen to music that I either know every note of, or that's in a language I do not speak, so it does not mess with the word parts of my brain. (Yay German industrial bands.)

I do also have a tape of dance remixes of the theme from Titanic which my stalker bought me as a birthday present, which I keep to play while I am writing charactes in situations that are a specific shape of very uncomfortable. This works.

Yeah, the chanting monks cd works that way for me. 

[Starbeam]

I mostly listen to music that I either know every note of, or that's in a language I do not speak, so it does not mess with the word parts of my brain. (Yay German industrial bands.)

I do also have a tape of dance remixes of the theme from Titanic which my stalker bought me as a birthday present, which I keep to play while I am writing charactes in situations that are a specific shape of very uncomfortable. This works.

I have to do this, too, with the word thing.  I use some heavy metal references, but I can't actually listen to the music cause I start listening to the music.  I think my new favorite to listen to for the squicky sort of uncomfortable is the Joker strings from Dark Knight.  It almost hurts to listen to.

[meg_evonne]

Okay, yeah...I apparently do have one.  I can't write unless I'm barefoot.  How's that for freaking quirky?  I didn't know it until at a writer's workshop, everytime we did individual exercises--my shoes would go.  Only barefoot one in the room.  Ah well.  I'm more comfortable that way!  :-)

[belial.1980]

I have to listen to music that sets the mood. I'll often make playlists but sometimes I'll come to a scene and loop only one or two songs that just feel right. For example, right now I'm finishing up a scene where a character breaks out of the asylum then proceeds to butcher his entire family. I keep listening to "Nightmare" by Halifax (sort of pop/punk/emo song...pretty sure it's about a relationship breaking up, but not certain) and the oldie "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King.

A bit odd, I know. But it keeps me focused.

[cassandra]

Music is too distracting. TV is okay because I'm used to ignoring it.

I do my best work after midnight. I get everybody else settled down and asleep, zone for a bit, go over what I wrote last and then just get lost in my head. I can knock out a hell of a lot of work from 12 - 4 in a way I can't during any other time of the day. I pay for it later, but that's most productive for me for some reason.