Posts : 537 Join date : 2015-01-27 Age : 28 Location : Australia, WA
Subject: What helps you write Sat May 30, 2015 1:57 pm
I was writing today and wondering what other writers find help them write as I usually write with music playing when writing certain parts of the story such as listening to fast paced songs for fight scenes or in slower paced parts in the book I would listen to slower music.
I was wondering if other writers consider music as a tool that helps them or do you find it can be a distraction and what helps you write.
SaturnCeleste
Posts : 168 Join date : 2015-04-15 Location : Sanctuary
Subject: Re: What helps you write Sat May 30, 2015 5:20 pm
I listen to music tailored to whatever I'm working on. For example, when I wrote about my Jamaican pirate I listened to Beenie Man. Matter of fact I learned Patois from Beenie Man and translating his lyrics as well as the Scrib'd Patois dictionary.
When I'm working on my Japanese story I listen to the soundtrack from Okami. It's a very quiet, dream like story so I need the peaceful music that game soundtrack lends. I listen to songs from the '50's when I work on my Las Vegas story about a showgirl that starts in the '50s but ends up in 1968.
No matter what I'm writing I listen to music that puts me in the place I'm writing about.
The distraction to me is the TV. If my son comes in to watch TV and I'm writing, he's gotta turn it off!
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DVAted
Posts : 5995 Join date : 2014-02-24 Age : 36 Location : in the forests of the night
Character sheet Name: DeViAted Faction: GUNners Level: 55
Subject: Re: What helps you write Sat May 30, 2015 7:39 pm
Honestly I can't write with music. Some music inspires me, but rarely, and I have to turn it off to write. Movies inspired me in the same way, but I'd write after watching them, not during Just like a good book or video game - I put it down, process it internally and then express my take on it, my splinter of it, the way it inspires me comes out after I filter it through my consciousness.
Anyway, what truly helps me is observing elements from real life, and transposing them on paper, so if I need some traveling detail, I go take a walk through some random areas of my city (if the story is by the river, I go by the river, if it's about a destroyed city, I go through the slums, if it's about a large city, I go downtown). Going to the Sea side years ago inspired me to write a sea-related story. in the same way, on a train ride I took a few years ago, I went through 3 tunnels, one longer than the other, so I wrote about a tunnel in detail.
It's best, for authenticity's sake, to include as many personal real life details as you can.
Also, weather influences me a lot. like if the weather is sullen, I would write how it affects me and I transpose it to the world. the world reacts to it in the way that it makes me feel.
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BlackZeroVB
Posts : 77 Join date : 2015-04-15 Age : 36 Location : Virginia, United States
Subject: Re: What helps you write Mon Jun 08, 2015 12:17 pm
It is important to organize your thoughts on at least a basic level. I personally use Kabikaboo (I found it on Linux, but I think there is a Windows version) for creating character profiles, location descriptions, major plot events, etc. and keeping them all sorted for quick reference.
I would also recommend researching the real world equivalent of whatever you're writing. Though fiction doesn't necessarily have to reflect the real world, you can get a lot of ideas from the real world inspiration of whatever you are writing about. It helps add that little extra detail that makes the world you create in your writing feel more complete. YMMV, of course.
Guest Guest
Subject: Re: What helps you write Mon Jun 08, 2015 2:05 pm
I actually get up and physically act things out, particularly dialogue exchanges... I try to find mannerisms/ gestures that come naturally and compliment the things I'm thinking or saying, and that helps me write scenes which are easy to visualize - as well as figure out the ideal delivery of lines.
Guest Guest
Subject: Re: What helps you write Mon Jun 08, 2015 2:36 pm
1. Good music, one that fits the tone of what I'm writing. 2. No external stimuli when I am actually writing. 3. Pre-writing text roleplay to simulate outcomes and character reactions. Solo or with a friend, both work for me. 4. Celebratory glass of whiskey.
Fizzshire
Posts : 7 Join date : 2015-06-13
Subject: Re: What helps you write Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:50 pm
I usually just get a flash of inspiration and write in silence until it's done. Afraid i cant post most of my things because its smut, but there are some cute story's about monster girls. There are these tiger type of girls, Jinkos, and I saw my little cousins crush her dads testicles when he came home, a head but, it was painful cute and turned into a story. Also having a thesaurus helps, always have one open.
Another thing to help would be to read other works. Look at how other people write, the style and wording they use. Steal some of there ideas, then make it your own. Never steal other peoples work, if you take a paragraph of some ones work, credit them.
Game cutscenes are fun to copy out and write. write word for word whats going on then when its over you can clean it up and make it flow, using it you can get an idea of what to do next and continue from there. Same with movies.
TWKUK
Posts : 134 Join date : 2015-01-05 Age : 28
Subject: Re: What helps you write Mon Jun 15, 2015 6:08 pm
I just have a habit of getting up and wandering around my house every few minutes while I act out scenes in my head, particularly when I'm trying to write out a conversation.
Dunno why, it's just something I do.
Fizzshire
Posts : 7 Join date : 2015-06-13
Subject: Re: What helps you write Mon Jun 15, 2015 10:04 pm
TWKUK wrote:
I just have a habit of getting up and wandering around my house every few minutes while I act out scenes in my head, particularly when I'm trying to write out a conversation.
Dunno why, it's just something I do.
I'm going to use that, It sounds better than recording me speaking out the story.
Sierran
Posts : 196 Join date : 2015-05-05 Age : 29 Location : Glasgow,Scotland
Character sheet Name: "Trooper" Faction: NCR Level: 70
Subject: Re: What helps you write Tue Jun 16, 2015 12:33 am
Honestly, I'm probably one of those freaks who sits and writes in absolute silence, bar a few wayward words to myself while I write.
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Fizzshire
Posts : 7 Join date : 2015-06-13
Subject: Re: What helps you write Sun Jun 21, 2015 7:01 am
Oh, I like to drink booze and write what I can, the when I cant write anymore I go to sleep. In he morning I have coffee and edit and write more.
torpvl
Posts : 38 Join date : 2015-03-16 Age : 27 Location : Pokeno, New Zealand
Subject: Re: What helps you write Sun Jun 21, 2015 7:40 am
Music that gets me into the mood and emotions of the characters and environment
Guest Guest
Subject: Re: What helps you write Mon Aug 31, 2015 5:48 am
Sometimes just random thoughts come to my me, especially when I'm working on something tedious like video editing...
TixIssence56
Posts : 161 Join date : 2014-02-25 Age : 27
Subject: Re: What helps you write Mon Aug 31, 2015 8:06 am
I only write whenever I am sad. I write so I can release whatever negative thoughts I have.
P.S. I'm glad to see there are a lot of people who write in GUN.
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Kualan
Posts : 32 Join date : 2015-08-31 Age : 33 Location : UK
Subject: Re: What helps you write Tue Sep 01, 2015 6:12 am
As many others have said, good music is always a great source of inspiration. However unlike some folks I can't listen to music and write at the same time. I'll usually relax with some atmospheric tracks for awhile before going to the computer and starting to type afresh.
Film music is my preference when it comes to this. Anything from John Williams to Howard Shore.
Every writer has their own personal taste when it comes to what strikes up their 'muse'. Speaking to other writers in the past, I've heard people say they can't put a single word to paper until they've re-enacted the entire scene beforehand in front of a mirror. It helps them get into the frame of mind of whichever character they are writing for at that particular moment. I suppose you might call it 'method writing'