Writing Habits

Lately I've started jumping around in the outline instead of writing it linearly. I find it helps to write what I'm excited to write about instead of what comes next in the outline. It makes the process a lot more fun and I haven't had a moment of writer's block so far! I hope this method continues to work for me.

I usually prefer to write while listening to more relaxing music; lately it's been Beach House. I always keep Mibba open and if I need a break from writing I'll find myself on Tumblr for short stints of time, or I'll grab a snack and get away from the computer for a minute. I'll even talk to myself and read my story out loud to see if I like the dialogue I write.

Sometimes I prefer writing with pen and paper first then re-writing it on the computer. I also tend to act out things like dialouge and facial expressions to see if they suit the situation or to try and figure out how to describe it.

When I'm writing out an idea I have in my head and get stuck, I tend to yell out "come on!" Or just try so hard to remember the "great" idea I had in my head. I find it effective to say my thoughts out loud (when I'm alone at home) because I can hear if it sounds really tacky, boring, alright, amazing, and whatnot. That's just one out of my long list of writing habits.

Anchor and Hope.:

I always have music playing, and it's usually something that I think correlates in some way with what I'm working on at that particular moment. I also always have a hot cup of tea- I don't know why, but I just can't seem to sit and focus without either.

I also almost (okay, always) find myself making a Polyvore for the character, I may not even publish it- more than anything , it's a tool to help further my vision of the character.

I talk to myself. A lot. Mostly mumbles and grumbles, but I do it so often that my parents no longer give me weird looks. And I always need to have music playing because it feels really off if I don't. I also like to "ask my characters questions" as to develop them, even when what I ask them doesn't even come into the story at any point. I like to figure out my character's music taste and movie taste as I'm writing.

Whenever I start writing, I throw on a playlist. I usually have a playlist for specific stories. I have to have a drink near me, preferably one with caffeine. I always re-read the last few pages I wrote to remind myself what I was doing, the basic idea of what the chapter was supposed to be about.

I read everything out loud. I need to know the story has a certain flow and if it does, I'm happy. I've always got music on when I write, a simple word or line can change my entire view on a chapter or person so it's handy to have music on. I'm also a smoker so I tend to have cigarettes every five minutes when writing :) If I'm truly stuck, I play with my son or my cats and then back to the keyboard

I make overly complicated excel spreadsheets and plot out the ending, which never gets written.

Also there's the music thing.

It depends on a certain mood I have but if the weather is great and I'm listening to a non pop playlist (now, coincidentally) then I could probably write. I also tend to pump out updates between the hours of 10pm-3am. I prefer to write with an outline because otherwise without an outline, I know I won't get anything done.

I always tend to give even the most minor characters elaborate backstories that barely get hinted at within the main story.

And a lot of times, I'll write one or two chapters and let the story just rot, either in a Word file or here on Mibba. (I'm getting better at not doing the latter, though!)

I listen to music, I like to make otp lists before I start writing a new story.

I go into my own little world when I'm writing, and apparently, I make weird faces and noises. I don't even know I'm doing it. I need music or the TV playing in the background, I can't concentrate when it's too quiet. Lately, I've been filling in character questionnaires for my characters, helps me to get to know them better.

I like to sit in a dark room while I write. Especially if I am writing on a darker subject. I also tend to re-read every paragraph three or four times just to ensure that everything flows and makes sense for my reader.

If I'm stuck on a story, I go to the park by my house, get on the swings, and think up ideas. Sometimes I'll stay there for hours. When I'm actually writing, I ALWAYS have something playing in the background. Sometimes it's a movie or a show, sometimes it's music. And I usually dim the lighting in my room.

I also bite the skin off my lower lip. It's disgusting and I need to stop that. Or if I feel the need to do something, say brush my teeth or get a drink, I do that immediately. And if I'm really anxious (which I get a lot of the time when a chapter isn't going how I want it), I stroke the inner part of my forearm, from wrist to elbow. It helps calm down. I just realized how weird I am.

I probably have the longest, most ridiculous writing process ever. XD

I obsessively re-read everything at least five times, probably more, and constantly change my mind about major events.

I imagine myself as each character as I'm writing them. I imagine the inner dialogue and what motivates them, as well as fickle things like what they had for breakfast and what underwear they have on. While I'm writing if I can't think of a word or how to connect two things, I close my eyes and pretend I'm one of the characters and act it out in my head.

I used to write with pencil and paper but recently converted to pages (like Microsoft word). I found that I lose traction easily with pencil because I start focusing on my handwriting and erasing constantly.

So I'll be writing and I start coming up with back stories and random ideas and scribble them into my notebook. Most of the ideas are insane and never come to fruition, so I have a huge journal full of sloppily written absurdities that even I never read. The journal is more of a black hole for all of my excess creative energy, and I'm honestly terrified to read anything in it.

I'm obsessed with research. Knowing every detail to me is important to my writing process so I find out what trees are common in the area and what they look like. And I want everything to be as realistic as possible so I start defining simple words like hat and cap, to better choose which I will use.

I have to have my water-bottle filled while I'm writing. When it gets empty (or near empty), I pop into the bathroom to refill it. (This also means lots of bathroom breaks too, to be honest.)

Everything I write, I read out loud. Which, usually, is in class... Let's just say that people don't appreciate me talking to myself during a test. XD

I tend to use a lot of cliffhangers at the end of my chapters.

Well I don't do much, just stare and try to remember what I've learned and that's it.