Proof Writers Have a Touch of Mental Disorder

Christyp · Jan 21, 2012

I've always said we have to have a form of multiple personality disorder, or even schitzophrenia to write a character well. Well, a couple of nights ago I sat down to work on the revisions I still haven't finished. As I typed away I suddenly realized another page had been opened and 900 words of a completely new story was being written. What? How the H-E-Double hockey sticks did that happen?

Do you find sometimes your other personality takes over and starts writing without your knowledge? Now, obviously, I was somewhat aware of writing, but the new story was so far removed from the story I was working on, and I don't remember actually thinking about any new story ideas....maybe I should think about seeing my shrink. Lol

profen4 · Jan 21, 2012

Christyp said:
As I typed away I suddenly realized another page had been opened and 900 words of a completely new story was being written. What? How the H-E-Double hockey sticks did that happen?

Do you find sometimes your other personality takes over and starts writing without your knowledge?

do lot triumph ha noi ao lot nu do so sinh loai khac cho be vest cong so chan vay cong so chup anh cho be
um ... nope ... *creeps over to foyer and locks doors*

BenPanced · Jan 21, 2012

Concentration is a mental disorder?

Susan Coffin · Jan 21, 2012

Do you find sometimes your other personality takes over and starts writing without your knowledge?

No.

jjdebenedictis · Jan 21, 2012

No, but my brother--who was never a strong student--once put his head down on the desk during an exam and, as far as he could tell, fell asleep.

When the teacher called for everyone to hand in their tests, he lifted his head and found his exam completed.

The questions he remembered answering, he got wrong. The questions completed after he went to "sleep", he got right.

When he asked his teacher about it, she said he'd put his head down for a minute, then sat back up and finished his test, then put his head back down again until the end of the period.

Maybe something like this happened to you?

Drachen Jager · Jan 22, 2012

Writers spend thousands of hours working on something which will in all likelihood be rejected several hundred times without chance of acceptance, and when that rejection is finalized, they turn around and begin the cycle anew.

You needed more proof of mental disorder than that?

backslashbaby · Jan 22, 2012

I write fiction from a completely different part of my brain. I do; there's no other way to describe it

And when I do math or similar tasks, I have to take a second to switch to that part of the ole noggin (and physically look up, usually).

I know I'm a kook, though. Are you just now learning this about yourself, too?

Cyia · Jan 22, 2012

Christyp said:
Do you find sometimes your other personality takes over and starts writing without your knowledge?

You might want to read The Dark Half...

ChaosTitan · Jan 22, 2012

When did imagination and creativity become a mental disorder?

<----confused

randi.lee · Jan 22, 2012

I have an account on writing.com that I started in 2005 and have not touched since. Recently, on a whim, I decided to look at my portfolio; there are four poems/short stories in the portfolio that I do NOT remember writing!

Susan Coffin · Jan 22, 2012

And, to say that one's experience is proof that writers have a mental disorder is a pretty broad statement.

People express their creativity and imagination in different ways. Some just get it out so fast that they swear others wrote it, and other get it out slow and conscious of every word and sentence structure.

Jamesaritchie · Jan 22, 2012

Christyp said:
I've always said we have to have a form of multiple personality disorder, or even schitzophrenia to write a character well. Well, a couple of nights ago I sat down to work on the revisions I still haven't finished. As I typed away I suddenly realized another page had been opened and 900 words of a completely new story was being written. What? How the H-E-Double hockey sticks did that happen?

Do you find sometimes your other personality takes over and starts writing without your knowledge? Now, obviously, I was somewhat aware of writing, but the new story was so far removed from the story I was working on, and I don't remember actually thinking about any new story ideas....maybe I should think about seeing my shrink. Lol

Well, no. I don't have another personality. I'm in here all alone. I write other characters well because I know other people in real life, not because I make them up in my head.

kuwisdelu · Jan 22, 2012

I thought everyone knew writers are crazy.

veinglory · Jan 22, 2012

Imagination and dedication are mental function, not mental disorders.

Alitriona · Jan 22, 2012

I'm another who finds writing I don't remember.

mscelina · Jan 22, 2012

Let me see. What goes into creating a good book?

1. An idea.
2. The development of said idea into concentrated, well-organized plot line.
3. The writing of said idea using correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.
4. The development and execution of character arcs.
5. The creation of conflict, obstacle and resolution of conflict.
6. Research for any element that needs to be corroborated.
7. Rewriting the first draft.
8. Rewriting the second draft.'
9. Rewriting the third draft and so forth until a final polished manuscript is obtained.
10. Formatting manuscript.
11. Researching likely publishers/agents.
12. Submitting manuscript according to guidelines.
13. Rinse and repeat.

Writing isn't some kind of mental disorder, because I certainly believe that anyone who completes the above list--and I left a lot of little things out of that list--has to be mentally and emotionally stable to subject themselves to the laundry list of minutiae that we go through. Your story isn't "proof" that writers have anything; it's an anecdotal incident that occurred to one writer. That's just like saying that because I'm a writer, all other writers will have serious problems with their backs. Or that if Stephen King stubs his toe, we're all going to limp.

When I sit down to write, everything that happens is a serious, deliberate consideration of choices, preferences, and fact. I certainly don't close my eyes and let my alternate personality take over.

I only do THAT when I'm editing.

kuwisdelu · Jan 22, 2012

mscelina said:
has to be mentally and emotionally stable to subject themselves to the laundry list of minutiae that we go through.

I'm still allowed to be mentally and emotionally unstable when I do the actual writing, though, right?

mscelina · Jan 22, 2012

Sure, kuwi. If you want to be. I object to the equation of the creative process to a mental disorder for a number of reasons. Mainly? Because WRITING isn't a DISEASE. It's a process. For some of us it's a job. And there's certainly no proof offered--as per the OP and title of this thread--that writing is a form of mental disease.

The main reason I object to this is because too many writers give up responsibility for their work. If they can't write, it's the fault of the muse. If they can't write a particular kind of story, it's the fault of their particular voice. As writers, we need to be absolutely, 100% involved and committed to what we write. We don't have some sort of mystical visitation where some personality clad in tweeds pushes our consciousness out of the way and *poof!* creates a story for us!

And to condone that type of thinking is, to my mind, unfair to young writers who are now going to sit at their desks with their eyes closed and wait for their stories to write themselves.

swvaughn · Jan 22, 2012

mscelina said:
if Stephen King stubs his toe, we're all going to limp.

I'm thinking this right here could be a jump-off point for a really cool story...

mscelina · Jan 22, 2012

Hmmm....maybe I should trademark that comment then...

swvaughn · Jan 22, 2012

Curses! Foiled again. :tongue

Christyp · Jan 22, 2012

mscelina said:
Let me see. What goes into creating a good book?

1. An idea.
2. The development of said idea into concentrated, well-organized plot line.
3. The writing of said idea using correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.
4. The development and execution of character arcs.
5. The creation of conflict, obstacle and resolution of conflict.
6. Research for any element that needs to be corroborated.
7. Rewriting the first draft.
8. Rewriting the second draft.'
9. Rewriting the third draft and so forth until a final polished manuscript is obtained.
10. Formatting manuscript.
11. Researching likely publishers/agents.
12. Submitting manuscript according to guidelines.
13. Rinse and repeat.

Writing isn't some kind of mental disorder, because I certainly believe that anyone who completes the above list--and I left a lot of little things out of that list--has to be mentally and emotionally stable to subject themselves to the laundry list of minutiae that we go through. Your story isn't "proof" that writers have anything; it's an anecdotal incident that occurred to one writer. That's just like saying that because I'm a writer, all other writers will have serious problems with their backs. Or that if Stephen King stubs his toe, we're all going to limp.

When I sit down to write, everything that happens is a serious, deliberate consideration of choices, preferences, and fact. I certainly don't close my eyes and let my alternate personality take over.

I only do THAT when I'm editing.

Okay, obviously what I said was very tongue in cheek. I'm a writer/homemaker/crafter, not a psychiatrist. I just tease my family when they tell me how crazy I sound when I talking about my characters as if they were real, saying all writers have a form of multiple personality disorder.

If I offended anyone with my late written anecdote...no, actually I don't apologize. It was meant in fun...

Christyp · Jan 22, 2012

mscelina said:
Sure, kuwi. If you want to be. I object to the equation of the creative process to a mental disorder for a number of reasons. Mainly? Because WRITING isn't a DISEASE. It's a process. For some of us it's a job. And there's certainly no proof offered--as per the OP and title of this thread--that writing is a form of mental disease.

The main reason I object to this is because too many writers give up responsibility for their work. If they can't write, it's the fault of the muse. If they can't write a particular kind of story, it's the fault of their particular voice. As writers, we need to be absolutely, 100% involved and committed to what we write. We don't have some sort of mystical visitation where some personality clad in tweeds pushes our consciousness out of the way and *poof!* creates a story for us!

And to condone that type of thinking is, to my mind, unfair to young writers who are now going to sit at their desks with their eyes closed and wait for their stories to write themselves.

I got to say, if writing ever becomes this technical, planned out, and...well, boring, I will most definitely stop. I love the fact that for a few hours I become a completely different person, or how vividly I can see the scenes in my head. I love how when I'm really in the writing mode I can actually hear the tone of the characters voice.

Again, I say, if you really thought I was coming in as some kind of psychiatrist you obviously didn't read the post closely. Sounds like you skimmed through it.

happywritermom · Jan 22, 2012

I believe the OP was simply venting in a very tongue-in-cheek way.

I'm suprised some took it so seriously.

I'm more surprised no one took offense to the light treatment of mental disorders. Now, there's something to be mad about! what's wrong you people? Geez!

(Sorry, Christy! I don't mean to send more grief your way and I hope no one does jump on that, but I really am amazed that if there are to be negative reactions, these are the reactions you got.)

Kitty27 · Jan 22, 2012

I understand,OP.

When we are doing the basic meat of writing,yes,we are quite sane. But to come up with wild stories,characters,and most of the stuff we write,I firmly believe that there is a bit of the kooky afoot

Well with me,there is. A LOT of kooky. I have been nutty for a long time!

Proof Writers Have a Touch of Mental Disorder

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