Writer's "friends" of Inspiration- What's Yours?

Strange Days · Aug 12, 2009

It's not a secret that many writers in order to pursue bohemian self-image use some "friends"- nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, orange juice, chinese food, etc. Or combination of those. What's yours?

What style are You writing and what attributes help Your inspiration? Your opinion on bohemian image of a "writer w/cigarette and coffee". Fake? Actually helps?

scarletpeaches · Aug 12, 2009

It's never a good idea to become so dependent on one substance or thing that you can't write without it. That's surrendering control of your own bodily functions and faculties and not something I'd ever willingly do. Not for writing anyway...

I've done hash, E, skunk...none of it to help my writing. Also been seriously pissed on many occasions. Again, not to help my writing. Just for fun.

I just love the feeling of being drunk. It's the only time the core of me doesn't hate itself.

Whoa. How's that for an unintentional TMI...?

JamieFord · Aug 12, 2009

My guilty pleasures are all funky, out-of-print books, used for research. Not very sexy...

As far as opinions on a writer's bohemian image? Perhaps the underlying question should be, what do you like better, writing, or the idea of being a writer?

JoNightshade · Aug 12, 2009

No weird addictions here, either. I'm not even good at getting drunk... all I do is get all sleepy and pass out.

Wayne K · Aug 12, 2009

I can't think of anything.

Mumut · Aug 12, 2009

I like solitude and classical music. Cold strawberry tea, sometimes but mainly water. I gave up smoking ages ago, when the price of a pack went from 30c to 33c. Who could ever pay 33c for twenty cigarettes? I also gave up drinking a few years ago, after 54 years of it, and I feel so good mentally. So NOT having an addiction has become very addictive for me.

aadams73 · Aug 12, 2009

The only image I'm trying to maintain is that of a writer who meets her deadlines and makes enough money to pay the bills. I like a couple of cups of coffee in the morning, but that's about it. No drugs, no booze. I'll have the occasional drink but never while I'm working.

Giant Baby · Aug 12, 2009

(*FIRST* set aside a new file. "Greaterest American Novel Redux!" and such, and "save as." You'll need the original. On account of the drunkenss.)

1. Get drunk.

2. Have at it.

3. Drink up yer favorite hangover cure and take a look. Strip out all references to Ricardo Motalban, immediate family members, or hobbies you thought were private (before you found the Internet...). And other such stuff. I don't care what kind of book you're writing, nothing good can come of it.

4. Cull what you can from this (and that), but DO NOT SEND IT TO ANYONE while hung over. Take a gander. Could be some good stuff you wouldn't'a thought to write. But can. But do not send.

5. Make the debaucle delicious.

6. Then send.

Too much answer?

Exir · Aug 12, 2009

No distractions

Strange Days · Aug 12, 2009

scarletpeaches said:
It's never a good idea to become so dependent on one substance or thing that you can't write without it. That's surrendering control of your own bodily functions and faculties and not something I'd ever willingly do. Not for writing anyway...

I've done hash, E, skunk...none of it to help my writing. Also been seriously pissed on many occasions. Again, not to help my writing. Just for fun.

I just love the feeling of being drunk. It's the only time the core of me doesn't hate itself.

Whoa. How's that for an unintentional TMI...?

As for drugs- I've never even thought of them. If Steve Tyler himself admitted that they spoiled his songwriting- there must be something innately inferior to creativity in them. Totaly another thing - using it for pleasure, though. I prefer, however, old fashioned things- caffeine/nicotine/alcohol. Weeds give me anxiety and are generally not a good thing if you have a daytime job...

Morally- have no problem with that.

C.bronco · Aug 12, 2009

I write no matter what my intake.

C.bronco · Aug 12, 2009

My friends are in my head, and they don't care what I've been doing all day! LOL!

Strange Days · Aug 12, 2009

JamieFord said:
My guilty pleasures are all funky, out-of-print books, used for research. Not very sexy...

As far as opinions on a writer's bohemian image? Perhaps the underlying question should be, what do you like better, writing, or the idea of being a writer?

If your question is directed to me, I'll try to answer. I don't think of ma as writer for the reason that I haven't been published. And, most likely- never will. So, I am more like a writAR or a writUH... I am more a graphoman than a writer, to be frank. Amateur, with all the consequences. And yet- there's still something in the images o Camus or Sartr, with ther coffee and cigarettes. Certain culture, that fascinates...

Strange Days · Aug 12, 2009

JoNightshade said:
No weird addictions here, either. I'm not even good at getting drunk... all I do is get all sleepy and pass out.

You probably just od alcohol. Two drinks are usually helpful for me- to write, to play pool, to play chess, to play soccer. Four drinks- lead to a happier feeling but fail in constructive sense... Third, for some reason- just makes me sober again...

Strange Days · Aug 12, 2009

Wayne K said:
I can't think of anything.

blacbird · Aug 12, 2009

Wayne K said:
I can't think of anything.

Northwestern North American vine maples are very inspiring.

caw

Strange Days · Aug 12, 2009

Mumut said:
I like solitude and classical music. Cold strawberry tea, sometimes but mainly water. I gave up smoking ages ago, when the price of a pack went from 30c to 33c. Who could ever pay 33c for twenty cigarettes? I also gave up drinking a few years ago, after 54 years of it, and I feel so good mentally. So NOT having an addiction has become very addictive for me.

Well, I don't mean heavy drinking. Two-three drinks over the course of a few hours- no more. Smoking- I 'm just born a smoker. I used to smoke cigars once a month when I had my quit on cigarettes. The question is- when you WERE doing it- how did it influence your creativity? Solitude is a must, of course, no questions here. As for classical music- I love it too much and get easily distracted but it therefore...

Strange Days · Aug 12, 2009

aadams73 said:
The only image I'm trying to maintain is that of a writer who meets her deadlines and makes enough money to pay the bills. I like a couple of cups of coffee in the morning, but that's about it. No drugs, no booze. I'll have the occasional drink but never while I'm working.

I perfectly understand you because I cannot relate to what you said- if that makes sense. Being a professional in other field than writing gives me an exact idea of what you're saying. For amateurs- it's different, though...

Strange Days · Aug 12, 2009

Giant Baby said:
(*FIRST* set aside a new file. "Greaterest American Novel Redux!" and such, and "save as." You'll need the original. On account of the drunkenss.)

1. Get drunk.

2. Have at it.

3. Drink up yer favorite hangover cure and take a look. Strip out all references to Ricardo Motalban, immediate family members, or hobbies you thought were private (before you found the Internet...). And other such stuff. I don't care what kind of book you're writing, nothing good can come of it.

4. Cull what you can from this (and that), but DO NOT SEND IT TO ANYONE while hung over. Take a gander. Could be some good stuff you wouldn't'a thought to write. But can. But do not send.

5. Make the debaucle delicious.

6. Then send.

Too much answer?

Too much or not too much - is not a question.

"Sufficiency"- that's the word! I can relate to this answer to a degree. But if I drank as often as I write- my liver would suggest a divorce from my body...

Strange Days · Aug 12, 2009

Exir said:
No distractions

Yes. But what help you to avoid hte distractions- that's the question.

Strange Days · Aug 12, 2009

C.bronco said:
My friends are in my head, and they don't care what I've been doing all day! LOL!

Yes, but "friends", even the kind that is in your head, need to socialize, as any other friends, right?

But if they "socialize" too much- as anybody else- they might just pass out or get weird...

Strange Days · Aug 12, 2009

blacbird said:
Northwestern North American vine maples are very inspiring.

caw

Any of those in MinnesOHtAH?

Libbie · Aug 12, 2009

Strange Days said:
It's not a secret that many writers in order to pursue bohemian self-image use some "friends"- nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, orange juice, chinese food, etc. Or combination of those. What's yours? What style are You writing and what attributes help Your inspiration? Your opinion on bohemian image of a "writer w/cigarette and coffee". Fake? Actually helps?

Totally fake. I don't use any chemical mind-altering substances at all, with the exception of caffeine on Thursday mornings only, because I'm of the opinion that messing with you brain's function screws up the creative process and doesn't enhance it. Sure, we can all point to geniuses who used a "friend" of some kind with regularity (Carl Sagan comes to mind for me. For those who don't know, Carl Sagan was "Mr. X," who wrote anonymously about the benefits of using marijuana.) But I strongly believe that geniuses who stay geniuses despite the use of mind-altering chemicals are rare exceptions, and not the rule.

And there are lots and lots of extremely creative, brilliant artists of all stripes who are 100% sober. I hate the myth that you have to be a junkie of some sort in order to be a "real" artist. It's total shit, and it's offensive to those of us who are fabulous on our own merits, without relying on a substance to prop us up.

I don't use anything but that Thursday cup of coffee, and that's only for my extra-long commute that morning. I never use anything mind-altering -- not even cough syrup -- while I write. I like to play the numbers, and I'm betting I wouldn't be a Carl Sagan if I fired up a doob or slammed a few shots. I'd be like my ex-boyfriend: A total loss of crazy, unimaginable brilliance due to damaged brain chunks and constant pursuit of the next high.

Sad, really.

I like my writing very well without "expanding" my mind.

sadron · Aug 13, 2009

I'm writing scifi & fantasy, what I need to inspire (I call it muse in male person) is certain type of music, cocoa, candies, juice... What else...? And Good mood.

Did this answer the question as I wasn't sure what you asked.

john barnes on toast · Aug 13, 2009

I used to 'reward' myself with drink for hitting writing targets.
Finish this scene and 'earn' another can.

I really didn't think I could function without it, but after getting pretty ill last year, I've had to retrain myself and have found it surprisingly easy. Generally speaking my heads in a much better state, and am probably writing more without the booze.

As for drugs? forget it. I don't know, or know of, anyone who's creativity has benefited from drug taking. I think it's largely a myth, and for myself personally, I could barely string a coherent thought together in my mind—let alone on paper—during my drug taking years.

I am now drinking more tea and eating more chocolate than ever.
Finish this chapter and there's a Yorkie bar with my name on it in the fridge.

Writer's "friends" of Inspiration- What's Yours?

who cares, anyway?..

giving resonant directions

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A Work in Progress

Oh, the humanity.

Out of the cradle endlessly rocking

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I have plans...

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who cares, anyway?..

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who cares, anyway?..

who cares, anyway?..

who cares, anyway?..

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