1. AnonymousWriter

    AnonymousWriter New Member

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    What mood do you write best in?

    Discussion in 'General Writing' started by AnonymousWriter, Sep 16, 2008.

    What mood is ideal for your writing? Some people say that you should never write when you're angry, but is it not true that a person's true personality shines through when they are in this state. For some reason, I often write better when I feel tired.
     
  2. Charisma

    Charisma Transposon Contributor

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    When I'm not too tired or depressed to write pointlessly and vaguely, and not too excited to seek physical activity.
     
  3. Jade

    Jade Active Member

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    When I'm excited, definately :eek:

    That way, I have the energy to be patient when things don't go well. I can't write angry as I'm usually too busy fuming over whatever happened to focus entirely on writing. :p
     
  4. Still Life

    Still Life Active Member

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    When I'm in an emotional "high" - any emotional high (yep, especially when I'm angry). I can't write when I'm tired or depressed; I feel emotionally drained when I'm like that.
     
  5. AnonyMouse

    AnonyMouse Contributor Contributor

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    Is chill a mood? I write best when I'm really mellow.
    Excitement usually comes after I start typing, but I can't sit down at the computer when I'm excited; it's like trying to cage a rocket.
     
  6. TheAdlerian

    TheAdlerian New Member

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    I've heard a lot of writers use amphetamines to write. I don't plan on it, but I understand it. When I'm up I can write and write fully entertained.

    Now, I'm trying to discipline myself to write no matter how I feel. I must write some part of my story daily, or else I've let myself down. For instance, I love fitness and weight lifting, and their is no excuse, in my mind, for not going to the gym, unless I'm very ill. If fitness is mood related or else it won't work, and I'm trying to take the same approach to writing.
     
  7. Ungood

    Ungood New Member

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    It all depends on what I am writing.
     
  8. lessa

    lessa New Member

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    I write when I miss my grandchildren.
    I write children's story mostly so I write as if I am talking to them or
    telling them a story.
    Doing it this way I finish a rough first draft and then go back and fix
    up my run on sentences.

    When I write poetry it is usually about health matters or problems dealing
    with pain and loneliness that I have read about on different boards. Then
    I post what I have written to help the others.

    I have to be by myself at my computer with my cat sitting beside me. I seem
    to relax when he is right there and the words just flow.
     
  9. NaCl

    NaCl Contributor Contributor

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    Anger - great for writing fight scenes or hurting a bad guy in a story.
    Hyper - I use these times to develop plot completity or to knock out high volume.
    Despression - the right mood for writing gore and editing (easy to "kill my darlings" when I don't give a damn)
    Happiness - the only time I can write touchy-feely crap like wedding scenes.
    Horny - (obvious) that's the time to write with passion.
    Tired - sarcasm comes out when I'm tired.
    Boredom or "neutral" mood - great for exploring new ideas for stories.
    Disappointment - writing conflict when disappointed works for me.

    For every mood, I have a preferred writing style.
     
  10. TwinPanther13

    TwinPanther13 New Member

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    I write my best when I am angry or feeling down. Like when I start thinking about all the bad deciscions I have made in life
     
  11. Kylie

    Kylie New Member

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    I can write in any mood :D
     
  12. Nilfiry

    Nilfiry Senior Member

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    I can write in any mood, but I write best when my nostalgia is at its peak; however, I must actually feel like writing to write well at all.
     
  13. Scarecrow28

    Scarecrow28 New Member

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    I write well when I'm on an emotional high, as Still Life put it, as long as I'm not overly excited, because then I have difficulty focusing.
     
  14. Crazy Ivan

    Crazy Ivan New Member

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    When I'm feeling silly, I tend to be able to coast through several pages at a time (which is a big deal for busy/distractable old me). Also, whenever I get one of those 'curious' moods- ("I wonder what would happen if I...?") it's pretty helpful for trailing down new ideas.
     
  15. tehuti88

    tehuti88 New Member

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    I think it's stupid when anyone says people "should never" write at a particular time. If someone wants to be a professional writer, they're going to have to get used to writing no matter what they feel like. Not writing because you "don't feel like it" won't cut it in the publishing world.

    I'm not seeking being published, but have found that one has to learn how to write no matter what their mood if they want to get anything done. Especially since I'm depressed most of the time.

    That being said, I write best when I feel like writing. It's not a happy state, or sad, or angry, or upset or anything; I guess the best word to describe it would be creative. Or curious. I'm curious to know what's going on with my characters and plot, so I have to write it. That's the best mood for my writing.

    I don't think my fictional writing comes out "angrier" than usual if I'm writing when I'm angry, unless anger has something to do with that current part of the plot; if it doesn't, then it doesn't make its way into the work because it's MY emotion and not my CHARACTERS' emotion and doesn't belong there. Ditto with other emotions. Although I draw on my own emotions to give my characters depth, I can separate my emotional state from theirs when the two don't coincide.
     
  16. Acglaphotis

    Acglaphotis New Member

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    When I'm bored (this is most of the time). And alone (not most of the time :/). But when I do have that particular mood and setting all my ideas connect and flourish, and then after a few moments of thinking (with music) I get on it.
     
  17. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    can't say i've ever noticed... certainly haven't been driven to find out, for any reason...

    i just write when i write, period!... and the quality of my writing doesn't vary, anyway... i've been doing it so long, it's consistent...
     
  18. DrJoe

    DrJoe New Member

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    Writing mood. Seriously, I'm not trying to be funny. I have a writing mood. It's not when I'm really angry, or really happy, or really sad, but when I'm in the mood to write. Caffeine helps too, since it kind of gives me the buzz I need for motivation.

    I have to get in the "zone" as well, and drugs or fatigue help a lot (although you probably shouldn't write while high, and aren't usually motivated ;] ). The more tired I am, the more inspiration I get. It knocks down the capacitor regulating creativity

    P.S. Don't go classifying me as a "druggie" now, I'm anything but. Stereotyping is wrong, kids!
     
  19. Alex_Hartman

    Alex_Hartman New Member

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    I think that I can write in any mood, especially angry just because it can get pretty strong sometimes. I do love writing at night though, that's when most of my writing gets done. The only problem is that I will be whipping out pages and pages, but then I remember that it's a Sunday night and I have to wake up the next morning. =/
     
  20. Speedy

    Speedy Contributor Contributor

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    If im awake, i write. Period.

    A good coffee, and a comfy position and everything flows.

    If there is anything that stands out slightly, thats if im angry i do go off and write certain scenes in advance (that may have been in my head for a month or two), i do think i get some pick-ups from it. But only so often.
     
  21. SonnehLee

    SonnehLee Contributor Contributor

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    Depressed, actually. Even though my writing isn't that depressing.
     
  22. thirdwind

    thirdwind Member Contest Administrator Reviewer Contributor

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    I don't have a mood, but I do have to feel the urge to write. Otherwise, I just sit and stare at my monitor and nothing gets done.
     
  23. ModestKittee

    ModestKittee New Member

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    When I was younger, I used to be quite depressed and morbid. I wrote my best poetry then. However now I am rarely in such a state so I write when I have time and I'm in the "writing mood" as others have put it.

    It's my goal however to break out of this habit and write everyday...mood or not!
     
  24. captain kate

    captain kate Senior Member

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    I write in any mood, if I'm angry then something will happen that will provoke Kate to be made too. If I'm sad, I can write really sad scenes; however, I don't tend to write until I've spent a couple of hours getting into the mood.
     
  25. Shadow Dragon

    Shadow Dragon Contributor Contributor

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    I think I write best when depressed, though I tend to come up with scenes for my novel in any mood.
     

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