Writing Habits

I almost always drink tea when I'm writing, and usually I like to write in bed with my laptop, lol. It just seems the most comfortable, and I can write the best when I just relax and let it flow instead of stressing over every image.

I basically live action role play my characters as I'm writing, generally only when they're having a conversation or it's a very important scene. I make sure the playlist I specifically created for the story is playing lowly + that my laptop is plugged in so a low battery warning doesn't ruin my flow. I've noticed I also hardcore stare and don't blink. Every time I get done writing something my eyes are dry + feel strange bc they're been like for two hours. I don't plan a single thing. I literally just throw together a theme + some character traits and wing it. Maybe this explains why I haven't written anything decent in years?

I always have to be listening to music, usually something acoustic or quiet, or something with really good lyrical content that will get my mind going. I always have new ideas to write down and either incorporate in an already existing story or in a new story that will probably never get started. I have 9243692394 ideas for different stories and nowhere to go with them.

I do this thing where when I start to dislike a paragraph, either the whole thing or a part of it, I hit enter a few times in front of that spot and keep going and make it different. That way I keep the one that I didn't really like so I know what not to do. Also in case there are parts of it that I actually like. Also, I listen to instrumental music or music w/ very few lyrics, mostly chillstep, liquid drum & bass, and like... djent. HAHA that escalated a bit.

When I write casually (like on forums and stuff) I use parentheses a lot. Like, a lot a lot. And I write how I talk. I was very carefully avoiding parentheses in the above paragraph, ha!

I have to listen to music. This is one of my biggest habits of all. Without it, I always find it hard to focus on anything. I also have to have a filled stomach as well because nothing is worse than having a growling tummy while writing. :x

When I'm planning my stories (like I am now) I have a bad habit of pacing and daydreaming at the same time. I also pull the faces and occasionally say things under my breath that my characters say. On my way to school, everybody was looking at me strange because I kept smiling and fidgeting and stuff today.
I can also only write at night. I don't know why, I just cant wrote during the day. I also have to be alone. If someone's in the same room as me, I get all paranoid that they're going to try to read what I wrote, so I don't write. I also like having silence when I write, or I'd like have the news on and mute it or something. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't.
Yeah. I'm weird, I know. :p

I have to be alone when I write on the pc or if I'm writing on paper I write sloppily or really small or in running writing because as Up in the Air. said, I get paranoid they're reading it. Also when I'm writing I have the same expressions as my characters. If they're doing a cute, flirty smile, that smile is on my face or if they're grumpy with pursed lips and flaring nostrils I'm doing that. Plus I get into the same moods.
Music is a must. I'm finding at the moment Save Rock and Roll by Fall Out Boy makes me really want to write... and dance. I also find that (in most cases) if I listen to a particular band that I feel like writing about that particular band, e.g. Listen to MCR I want to write about MCR, listen to The Academy Is... I want to write about TAI...

Lately, my pre-writing habit tends to be listening to music that fits the theme or vibe of the piece I want to work on to kind of get myself psyched up and in the right headspace. Then after I've done that for a while, I'll turn it off and write. I prefer to write in silence or with low noise, and I never write while listening to music pretty much ever (but before writing and also during editing music is very good!)