How do you like to write?

I personally can't understand how people can write and listen to music at the same time! Although I do like to listen to music for inspiration and ideas, I have to do that before writing, not during it. I'm certain that one day if a song's playing I'll end up writing the lyrics into my novel. Not good.

As for other writing habits, I can't write prose on a notepad, mainly because I find it hard to go back and correct my mistakes. I have to be at my laptop, where I can map out my work and easily see what I need to change.

And, as a lot of others have mentioned on this thread, I too enjoy writing at night. I've never really known why, but now I think that it's down to not being able to see the outside world. If you've got a reminder of normal everyday life staring at you whilst you're trying to get something down, it can be hard to escape from that and immerse yourself in the world of your novel instead. That's my reason behind it anyway.

Finally, I don't like to sit in one designated place to write. I'd much rather just sit where I feel right, somewhere comfy, so my brain doesn't figure out that I'm actually working

I usually end up folding my legs into some weird position in my chair, then I put on some awful top 40s or something. Then I chew a piece of gum and just.... Write.

I'd like to say I have something weird and amazing that I do that I can't tell you about for fear that you'll steal the idea from me *looks around suspiciously* but I don't.

Boo

All I do is sit on my bed, which I'm doing now, with my tiny netbook which transforms into a tablet (ahhhhhhhhhhh) and just type away. That's it.

This does work thought, I've managed to write two whole novels in a year boom.

I basically write whenever my mind tells me to write, and I won't stop until my brain dies out on ideas xD
But before that, I would usually write in my writing pad at school, whenever I get the chance. I used to write them on different pieces of papers but... (wind goes and blow every single paper out and I have to pick them all up) yeah.
After that I would end up typing it down on my computer so I could have a better look at it (and other people, I have bad handwriting).

I don't have a lot of quirks. I write where ever I am for the most part. But if I'm going to really get into it I have to write it down as soon as the inspiration hits or I forget within 10 seconds. That's why the margins of my math notes are filled with text, and why I have a dozen "Notes" on the IPod I've only owned since Christmas.

I prefer keyboard now, but if I must write on paper I only use pen...Pencil drives me crazy.

If I'm not writing something brand new, but I'm in the sort of mood that I feel like I should write I pick a song on Youtube and put it on repeat. Whatever is stuck in my head at that moment, mostly. Then I mediate on the words for a while...I write anywhere from the first 3 words to half a paragraph in my head and then my fingers start flying. As to where I like to sit, I can't be in an upright chair. I sit on my bed, or curled up in a recliner.

And when? At the best/worst times: During class and after 10 pm. Or like right now, when I have homework looming, but I'm transcribing a bizarre-o poem instead.

I like to write inspirational things which can give inspiration to me and others also.

I can write anywhere I don't really mind I just need a pen and a paper and when I start writing it is very hard for me to stop. Discovering yourself can be really painful and beautiful at the same time. Writing is a world full of symbols and self analysing. I write therefore I exist.

Books are immortal children that make their parents seem like Gods - Plato

Hmmm...I haven't really found my ideal spot/habit yet. xD But I'd expect it would be somewhere where there's dim light and is extremely quiet. I'd also like a big room, not empty but not full either. Something that's neat and clean and not cluttered and not all hollow and echo-ish either. That would freak me out, I think. I need a lot of walking space as well, so that's why I prefer it uncluttered, so I can get up from my chair and walk around and think...

I think I'd definitely need music. Without music my brain would probably go blank. I'd also need a laptop without internet connection, because I like to type but internet distracts me. And um. Yeah.

//rant

I can pretty much write anytime anywhere as long as there’s inspiration and tools. I do have some preferences though, for example I tend to write in the mornings or the evening since at noon I am usually too lazy to move a muscle or make any intellectual effort. In the mornings it’s fresh and quiet and my brain is on top of its game so I usually go for editing or looking over and adding to what I had previously wrote. I use such times to plan out my story lines and lots too. In the evenings, there’s just something about the darkness that really helps me immerse myself into my stories and inner worlds and start exploring and writing down everything that happens. So evenings are pretty much reserved for ideas and getting drafts done.
I find temperature pretty important too. If it’s cold I can just cuddle in a blanket, warm my hands on the laptop keyboard and keep writing. If it’s hot, however, I just can’t work on anything. Sometimes I also tend to multitask, or more likely have to multitask or I just can’t focus on anything. Writing while reading something or browsing the net, or heck even playing a game or watching a movie, is sometimes the only way I can work.

As for music, it doesn’t really matter, but I do use it for inspiration or ambience quite often. And software, I definitely prefer MS Word. I have tried many others like open office or whatnot but it just doesn’t work for me. But then again it took me quite a while to get used to writing and reading off the pc in the first place. Now it’s not such a problem, but paper and pencil or laptop, whatever’s closer, works for me. PC does help my writing progress a lot though since I’m such a scatterbrain and always lose the notebooks/paper I wrote on.

Lastly I tend to get most inspiration and ideas while in the bus or on foot walking somewhere, but naturally that makes it pretty hard to write things down.

How do I like to write? Well, the situation needs to be like this: I need to have inspiration! And idea of some sort which I prefer to expand. I don't like to compose whilst I've none of those ideas. If I can't concoct one, or I'm just bearing ol' writer's block, I'll lookup for a quick writing prompt. Altho, I normally can't finish the write-up (possibly since it isn't my idea, but, well, whatever ).

Next, I find a place of peace! I'll most likely turn to my laptop; I LOVE typing! Though, there are these infrequent times in which I don't feel the keypad's hint. I turn to penning using paper and pencil, or I just think hem up. Yup, it might be very strange, but I like to waltz around circles and think about materials on writing.

Well, that's how I like it! How about you?

It depends, honestly.

Sometimes when I find myself writing I end up just trying to turn everything that makes sound off and then let my pen or pencil take control of things. Then sometimes I've found that my writings are much better when I have a little bit of sound somewhere in the background. I don't know why either technique works for me to tell the truth, I just know that they help me succeed with storytelling.

When I'm on my laptop, I've found that it's a little bit of a different story all together. Usually for some reason that I haven't yet realized, I find myself with massive writer's block when on a computer. Usually it will take a lot longer for me to think of someone when I write a story (or essay, but I specialize in fictional works) on my laptop but then again I've found that my stories have a little bit more professionalism to them when written with a keyboard.

In general I find that I need to do a little bit of physical activity such as a walk around the block or push ups before I begin to use my pen and paper. I think that partially has more to do with temperature than blood rushing to brain, because in the area which I live it's a little bit colder outside than inside. I usually need a little bit of cold air, or even cold mind to start writing. If it's a hot day than I usually won't write well thought out stories and everything seems to fall apart. There are exceptions to this rule of course (One work which I consider to be among my best I wrote on a very warm day) but it usually works out this way.

For inspiration usually I take a line from a book, film, song or any other work I recently paid attention to and try to use it as a theme for the story. Usually this doesn't exactly work out and the story goes in an incredibly different direction then what I originally imagined, but it's just the formula that I've set up for myself.

None of these things are absolutes of course, and quite a few of my works have been created or inspired in situations completely different than what has just been described. Poetry is the medium in which I personally think that I specialize in and I usually just begin writing poems out of the blue, when I have almost nothing on my mind. I've found that as there is no universal writing style for people around the world, there is specific writing style which fits me the best, only ones that work at different times.

It all starts with an idea...
...seriously, it does. I can't write unless I've been thinking about what I want to write and I'm like, "Wow, I like that, I'd better write it down or I'll forget." And then I can't stop writing.

Normally my random ideas for storyline, characters, new books, poems and such just hit me (while brushing my teeth, eating dinner, driving home from Brisbane, trying to sleep, etc) and they go down on the nearest paper available with the first writing implement I can find. If they're special enough, they get transferred to the computer or I'll build on them on paper but they eventually get typed up in the end.

Then, if they make it to the computer, they often make it to this site. And then someone here reads it and reviews it, and I read their comments and take them into the thick black cloud of my mind and then often I'll get another idea and the cycle repeats.

So I thank this site and the people on it for being a part of my black, hurricane of a mind! <3

I listen to music when I write - but I only because I love the sensation I get when everything is blocked out and I'm absorbed in the world I'm creating. When even the music becomes far away. I love to snap out of it and realize holy crap, I've gone through my whole playlist and haven't even heard the songs.

When I write, I have to be in a boring room. No pictures on the walls, no excess noise, no bright paint, no random things laying around. I tend to lock myslef in my walk in closet, which is painted white, and sit underneath my clothes and just type away. Kinda weird...but it works.

I found the best way of writing in pen and paper,They just give the feeling of relax while writing.