Odd question, I know. Do you dress to write? What I mean, is, well, when you go to work, most companies have either a dress code or a uniform, depending on the job of course. Some people feel that they do their job better when dressed for it. I know when I worked in administration, I always felt I worked better when I wore smart clothes rather than the days when, for whatever reason, I just couldn't be bothered to iron my blouse. I feel the same when I write. It's the school holidays at the moment and as I work in a school, I've spent the last five weeks at home with my kids. As they are 15 and 12, this means I get lie-ins and then more often than not, my eldest is out with her friends, youngest is on the xbox and hubs is at work leaving me with the freedom to write all day. Or so I thought. Obviously, there have been family days out but I tend to find that if I have a day lolling in PJ's and not even brushing my hair (eeewww!) then the stuff I write is really rather crap or of a small amount whereas if I get up early, have a shower, bit of breakfast, coffee and dress nicely (not over the top but just something you wouldn't mind being seen in as opposed to jogging pants and a holey t-shirt ...) then I write loads and it's of better quality. Is it just me? xx
An excellent question. Yes, most days I do. The exceptions are when an idea has me by the throat and won't let me go to get into the shower.
I write in whatever I happen to be wearing at that moment. One of these days I'm going to wear a suit and write like a boss.
@yagr I know that feeling - ideas or answers usually hit me when I'm elbow deep in dishwater. @thirdwind LOL @123456789 Um ... Erm ... Okay ...
I write better in pajama pants and a white T-shirt. It's really weird but somehow it gets me to pay attention. Usually after school I go and change into my writing garb just so I can get quality work done.
When I'm at home bumming around with nowhere to be, I wear comfortable clothes. Doesn't matter if I'm baking or writing.
I also light a candle too (if I write at my desk, which 90% of the time I do). Do you have any other writing rituals?
I usually just write with whatever I have on, but my best is when I'm in a polo shirt, jeans, white socks and sneakers. I feel all...mature and sophisticated.
No special rituals or attire for me, but I need to be warm (my study is in the shady part of the house) and have a big cup of coffee if it's the morning. Maybe some music.
Coffee is a definite! Do you listen to different kinds of music depending on the type of scene you are writing?
I have a coffeepot in the kitchen, but keep one in my office as well. Starting the coffeepot is a signal to me that I am going to do some serious wordage this day. I've also got a stuffed animal that sits on my desk and when we make eye contact; it's on.
Coffee is a must for me. It excites the brain, invigorates the blood! Having no coffee while writing is like an athlete trying to go practice without his gear.
I have a few random items I fiddle with when I'm thinking. I've got a zip tie, one of those old film canisters that I pulled from my photo class, and my little knife. That's about it. I start writing with a bowl of goldfish (flavor blasted) right above my mouse and allow myself a handful after every successful paragraph. It works surprisingly well and keeps me from getting distracted.
I don't write until it's dark outside. Even then, I'll usually watch a movie first and write late into the night. During the day, I'll review and revise my notes, but almost never actually write unless the rest of the block is asleep. I'm a night owl.
@cutecat22 : I often write to music, and vary it according to the scene. I'm writing a vampire novel with several subplots, which I'm writing like long-short stories, back to back (about 15k words each) and they span from medieval times, to the future (it follows the characters who are relevant in the futuristic plot). So the flavour is very different depending on which one, and even what kind of scene it is. Current favourites are 'Ultravionece' by Lana Del Rey, Air's 'Moon Safari' and 'Talkie Walkie' and Bonobo's 'Animal Magic' 'Dark Sands' and 'The North Borders'. Oh, and Pavor Stelar's electro swing albums. If desperate, I go to Mixcloud, Mixmaster Morris is always a good bet for some ambient chill-out mixes, but there are all sorts, deep house, trance, jungle etc, good stuff, depending what tempo you need. @Link the Writer : I love my coffee, I brew espresso in one of those steel stovetop coffeemakers, but I can only handle about two double espressos a day. I can have it up to 6 pm, but anything beyond that, I won't be able to sleep later, but also, I'll be so scatterbrained that I won't manage to write anything
If you are suggesting that I'm going to have to start wearing pants when I write, I'm gonna find a new hobby
Like Woody I write sometimes late in to the night. I did it a lot when I was in summer break but now school has started so I have started to write there.
I tend to have music on when I write too. I have a few different playlist though ranging from general chart stuff, piano pieces, (Einaudi and Oldrini being my faves in that department), a list of sad music, sounds from nature and film themes to set lists that are made up of music that almost mirrors my characters and their situations.
Well, because I write first thing in the morning—at 4am before I retired—I often used to get up, made coffee, sit down to write ...and there I'd be. If I had to go to work at 8am, I'd get dressed for work AFTER writing for 3 hours or so. But on my days off or on days when I didn't have to work till noon, I'd just stay in my nightwear and keep writing. It always seemed to me that once I got dressed my writing day stopped! However, since retiring, I don't get up QUITE that early any more (5-6am is normal) and I do get washed and dressed before I start.
I'm most creative when comfy so I'm usually in pj's or sweats. I'm also a night writer waiting until the household is asleep. When I'm dressed it's because I have actual life obligations to attend to, not "me" time to do as I please...so I dress for whatever my day is: taking eldest to school, housework, gym or neighborhood run if there's time, coaching and other after school activities, errands, cooking, etc. When all that is done the last thing I want is to stay dressed or dress even better to sit, relax, and write!
I can only recall writing in "regular" clothes - those that I wear to school and work. However, I tend to overdress sometimes, so it's a combination of "nice", professional clothes and uni clothes. My side job sometimes requires me to wear formal clothes, but I don't think I've ever written while in those. I sometimes take in experiences whilst in those, but it takes me a while to process them, so by the time I'm ready to write, I'll most likely have changed back into regular clothes.
