OK, so stereotypes suck, but writers are allowed to have eccentricities. It's almost a given. Do you guys have any?
The Eccentric Writer
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To be honest, I had to ask my husband. I tried to think about it, but I realized quickly that any eccentricities I might have would probably feel like ordinary behavior to me, so I wouldn't know them for eccentricities.
He mentioned my nearly pathological desire to arrive not just on time to events, but early. When I was in college, if I couldn't get to class on time, even if I was only a minute or two late, I just wouldn't go. I couldn't handle the attention of walking in late. When we have to be at the theater for a 7:00 movie, I'll be ready by 6:15 even though it takes ten minutes to get there. And if my family isn't ready when I am, I'll pace the house and hover over them until they ARE ready.
He mentioned my nearly pathological desire to arrive not just on time to events, but early. When I was in college, if I couldn't get to class on time, even if I was only a minute or two late, I just wouldn't go. I couldn't handle the attention of walking in late. When we have to be at the theater for a 7:00 movie, I'll be ready by 6:15 even though it takes ten minutes to get there. And if my family isn't ready when I am, I'll pace the house and hover over them until they ARE ready.
I had to laugh reading that because I am the same. Unfortunately, all the important people in my life are the opposite. They are those habitually late people and it does make me a bit anxious.
Unlike you, I did not ask hubby if I had any eccentricities. He would have had a very loooong list. lol
Unlike you, I did not ask hubby if I had any eccentricities. He would have had a very loooong list. lol
I'm another person who must be early, or exactly on time. Being late bugs the crap out of me, and it doesn't matter what it's for.
Two writing-specific eccentricities I have are, 1) if I'm writing longhand, I must have a black gel pen. Ball point pens just won't do it. 2) I tend to cast my characters before I begin writing a project. I just have to have that visual aid.
Two writing-specific eccentricities I have are, 1) if I'm writing longhand, I must have a black gel pen. Ball point pens just won't do it. 2) I tend to cast my characters before I begin writing a project. I just have to have that visual aid.
I don't have an obsessive compulsive disorder and am not 'totally' anal, but, when writing longhand(which is my favourite), I can't 'red pen' edit myself. All pages have to be perfect. So when I revise-I don't use any marks-just rewrite pages out over and over so they look nice. Even if I notice a spelling mistake when writing I scrap it and start over. It probably sounds a bit bizarre. That's probably my worst neurotic tendency. And I spend a fortune on paper.
As far as pens go, I like blue ballpoints. The cheapie bic ones.
Occasionally I have a dream that brings out an emotion-usually something that creeps me out, and I begin my story from that. Most times I begin with a character as well. I usually look at a weakness and then see how their strength can come about from that.
As far as pens go, I like blue ballpoints. The cheapie bic ones.
Occasionally I have a dream that brings out an emotion-usually something that creeps me out, and I begin my story from that. Most times I begin with a character as well. I usually look at a weakness and then see how their strength can come about from that.
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Breena, how do you get anything done? 
And then when they are perfect, do you type them in? Yes, that's a true writer eccentricity. I'm more prone to rituals. One of them is pretty weird -- when I can't work out a problem with my writing, I'll get up from my desk and trudge up and down the stairs like 40 times while I think. The hub and kids hear me on the stairs at 3 a.m., just trudging. It's considered normal in my house, I guess.
And then when they are perfect, do you type them in? Yes, that's a true writer eccentricity. I'm more prone to rituals. One of them is pretty weird -- when I can't work out a problem with my writing, I'll get up from my desk and trudge up and down the stairs like 40 times while I think. The hub and kids hear me on the stairs at 3 a.m., just trudging. It's considered normal in my house, I guess.LMAO-I don't nearly get enough done that I should.That's why I'm on message boards. To escape from reality. LOL
I may take up trudging-just for the exercise.lol Beats trying to make baskets from all my balled up errors!
I may take up trudging-just for the exercise.lol Beats trying to make baskets from all my balled up errors!
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No. I have no eccentricities (that I can think of). And I don't think being early or on time is an eccentricity. I think it's just common courtesy. Being late is just rude and inconsiderate.
Shadow_Ferret said:
Exactly. I can't stand people who are constantly "running late." That drives me crazy.
I don't think I'm eccentric. The only think I can think of is that I can't write in complete silence. I need some kind of background noise going on. That's not very eccentric, is it?
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Lee_OC said:
If it is, then I share that eccentricity as well. I get terribly nervous in silence, and start listening for the boogeymen instead of writing.
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Well, we're all writers, so maybe having to listen to music is a writer's eccentricity. I don't like listening for the boogeyman either.
If you write in silence and you hear the boogeyman come you can ask him his story and then pen it, make a fortune and split it with him.
I hate being late, it drives me nuts. I am always at least ten to twenty minutes early. My wife on the other hand is always late, I can live with it as long as whats late is not her period.
I also listen to music when I write but it's mostly mood music or instrumentals. I find if I'm writing to songs with words I tend to sing along and not get any writing done. The mood music eases my mind and helps me concentrate as the boogeyman stands behind me telling me his story.
I hate being late, it drives me nuts. I am always at least ten to twenty minutes early. My wife on the other hand is always late, I can live with it as long as whats late is not her period.
I also listen to music when I write but it's mostly mood music or instrumentals. I find if I'm writing to songs with words I tend to sing along and not get any writing done. The mood music eases my mind and helps me concentrate as the boogeyman stands behind me telling me his story.
Even though I am a musician and love music, I can't write with music on, I have to have dead silence. I still don't quite understand why this is.
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Whenever I write I need something in my mouth. Which would explain why I smoke too much, there's never enough chocolate in my house (is there such a thing?), I'm constantly 10-15 pounds overweight and there's not a pen cap in my house that's not horribly mangled.
I wonder what Freud would make of this?
I wonder what Freud would make of this?
Hummm, I see a pattern here.... I am also chronically early and it steams my beans if I have to wait for someone. Oh yeah, I need some music or TV at a low volume to be able to work too. If I don't have something to listen to, sooner or later I hear one of our cats(?) and convince myself "something" is in the basement.
eccentricity
Is living on a thirty-two hour day schedule, rather than a twenty-four hour day, an eccentricity?
For the better part of the last twenty-five years, I treat each days as if it had thirty-two hours. This means I'm usually awake twenty-four hours, rather than the normal sixteen, and then sleep eight.
Is living on a thirty-two hour day schedule, rather than a twenty-four hour day, an eccentricity?
For the better part of the last twenty-five years, I treat each days as if it had thirty-two hours. This means I'm usually awake twenty-four hours, rather than the normal sixteen, and then sleep eight.
I've just learned to make due with less.... I get 3.5 hours sleep most of the time, for days on end, then I crash for 8 hours or so (and think, damn, I squandered all that time!). Coffee is my friend.Jamesaritchie said:
Jamesaritchie said:
Well, I suppose if you don't have the type of day job that requires you to show up from 9-5 every single day, power to you.
But yes, I'd call that pretty eccentric.
sleep
Well, I've been a full-time writer for a lot of years, so the only real consessions I have to make to time are when my wife and I plan to go somewhere, or I have some other timed appointment, and these only very rarely present a problem. I usually just stay awake a few hours longer. My odd hours never have bothered my wife.
I'm just almost never sleepy at the end of a sixteen hours day. Or at least never so sleepy that I feel like going to bed.
It really started just by going to bed when I got really sleepy, rather than at a fixed time, and I let it develop naturally. This is what it settled on.
Of course, it may be helped along by the couple of dozen cups of coffee I drink each day.
chaostitan said:
Well, I suppose if you don't have the type of day job that requires you to show up from 9-5 every single day, power to you.
But yes, I'd call that pretty eccentric.
Well, I've been a full-time writer for a lot of years, so the only real consessions I have to make to time are when my wife and I plan to go somewhere, or I have some other timed appointment, and these only very rarely present a problem. I usually just stay awake a few hours longer. My odd hours never have bothered my wife.
I'm just almost never sleepy at the end of a sixteen hours day. Or at least never so sleepy that I feel like going to bed.
It really started just by going to bed when I got really sleepy, rather than at a fixed time, and I let it develop naturally. This is what it settled on.
Of course, it may be helped along by the couple of dozen cups of coffee I drink each day.
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Habitually early, an internal clock that runs longer than the 24 hour day, an affinty for writing with "white noise" in the background, chewed cigarette butts, coffee, coffee and more coffee....yeah, I see some patterns.
My "white noise" preference is mood-driven. Godsmack, Metallica, Bee-Gees, Barry White, Led Zepplin, Dire Straits, and Def Leppard are all on the play list. My "never fail" white noise is a nature cd featuring summer rain and thundertorms.
My "white noise" preference is mood-driven. Godsmack, Metallica, Bee-Gees, Barry White, Led Zepplin, Dire Straits, and Def Leppard are all on the play list. My "never fail" white noise is a nature cd featuring summer rain and thundertorms.
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I need my 7 hours of beauty sleep, or else I get really cranky.
My "white noise" music is usually electronica: trance, house, drum'n bass, etc. The more bass, the better.
My "white noise" music is usually electronica: trance, house, drum'n bass, etc. The more bass, the better.
I have a habit that might be considered eccentric. I talk to myself, and no I'm not talking about the occasional comment or mumbling under my breath. I keep a running commentary going with myself when I'm in a room alone, basically any time I'm not watching tv, reading, or listening to music, and half the time even if I am.
Oh my god! There is this horrible pattern emerging about being early. I live across the street from work. My longest morning commute was three minutes because I walked back home for my keys. I start work at 7:30am and typically get up around 5am. One can never be too ready.
I used to do this thing with my fingers or even my tongue across my teeth. I'd count in descending order, typically from 3 to 1, like a pyramid (3-2-1, 2-1, 1). I'd repeat it in a continuous loop for five to ten minutes at a time. Don't know where it came from but it took some serious mental work to put a stop to it.
I used to do this thing with my fingers or even my tongue across my teeth. I'd count in descending order, typically from 3 to 1, like a pyramid (3-2-1, 2-1, 1). I'd repeat it in a continuous loop for five to ten minutes at a time. Don't know where it came from but it took some serious mental work to put a stop to it.
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