How do you write?

[Fruitbat]

What helps me write a flash story better than any prompt is setting the mood, I guess you could call it.

I like to write all night when the world is asleep. Light a candle, get some coffee, and find one song that seems just right and play it over and over. The story comes from there. If I don't have an idea, one will come to me. It often takes me all night to write a flash story, I like to do them in one sitting.

Do you have a usual way of writing?

 

[Linda Adams]

I usually do mine at lunch at work on a netbook. I can usually finish the story in about 45 minutes or so. Though now I'm starting to do some preliminary research before I start writing -- mostly setting details.

 

[CrawdadJokeSoon]

I do the same with songs. I will play one to ten songs over and over. Then when I edit the story, I usually switch play lists, so I am in a different mental state, not only remembering.

 

[FoidPoosening]

I do the same with songs. I will play one to ten songs over and over. Then when I edit the story, I usually switch play lists, so I am in a different mental state, not only remembering.

I can study, read, and do just about anything while reading music, but write creatively is not one of them.

I personally write my best whenever an idea comes to me and I have a strong emotion or reaction to something. That can unfortunately be at any time of the day, but i've found that if I'm missing one of those two components it will take me significantly more editing and time to bring what I'm writing up to speed.

 

[bexcreativedreamer]

I try to take an ordinary day to day task that we all do, then turn it upside down and add strong emotion for spice!

 

[thothguard51]

I use stone tablets along with hammer and chisel. This allows me to slow down and consider each word carefully before I put it to the stone tablet...

 

[M.Luminos]

For me, I'm not kidding about this,

my last piece (which is awaiting critique in this forum) I wrote after jumping out of bed, naked, at 3 AM because I didnt want to forget it. Just glad I was home alone.

 

[Spell-it-out]

For me, I'm not kidding about this,

my last piece (which is awaiting critique in this forum) I wrote after jumping out of bed, naked, at 3 AM because I didnt want to forget it. Just glad I was home alone.

 

[anniede]

My writing playlist, coffee, and headphones to block out the kid chaos that is usually going on behind me. ;-) Headphones in this house means "Mama is concentrating. Do not bother unless there is flood, fire, or blood."

Anne

 

[Koschei]

For me, I'm not kidding about this,

my last piece (which is awaiting critique in this forum) I wrote after jumping out of bed, naked, at 3 AM because I didnt want to forget it. Just glad I was home alone.

I know that feeling. Inspiration always comes at the worst times. In my case, it's usually in the middle of the night, in the middle of a lecture or in the middle of a shower.

 

[Drainland]

I've spent the last 2 years going pretty deep on a flash fiction project.

I've been writing about songs. Using the song durations as word lengths.

The project is housed here. I talk a bit about the hows and whys here.

More generally, I use music to set the scene but using as I have here - as an organising principle - became REALLY distracting after a while. You can scan Spotify endlessly if you choose to. Thos platforms are designed to be distracting.

 

[Outofcontext]

For me, I'm not kidding about this,

my last piece (which is awaiting critique in this forum) I wrote after jumping out of bed, naked, at 3 AM because I didnt want to forget it. Just glad I was home alone.

Was not quite naked, but I've done the same thing. Besides, once a story starts gnawing at me, I know I won't be able to sleep anyway.

OoC

 

[Outofcontext]

I do the same with songs. I will play one to ten songs over and over. Then when I edit the story, I usually switch play lists, so I am in a different mental state, not only remembering.

I absolutely have to have music playing when I write. Classical or jazz, mostly. My wife doesn't understand how I can concentrate, but I do.

 

[sic_scripsit]

I write when and where I can.

I write best late at night with soft instrumental music, sometimes music which is supposed to stimulate theta waves in the brain.

I've been told I'm a "pantser"... I just write and the story tells itself. I layer in details and shift paragraphs around after I set down an initial scaffold. I may expand on some parts or reduce others. I go through many revisions. Having a word processor is a MUST. I can't write without a keyboard; if I read anything I try to write creatively in my own handwriting, it reads like crap. But, if I see the exact same words in a font on a computer screen, I can look at it objectively. I'm just weird that way.

 

[dantefrizzoli]

I like to write at night normally when everybody is asleep, and I am able to think and write without any distractions.

 

[Outofcontext]

I write when and where I can.

I write best late at night with soft instrumental music, sometimes music which is supposed to stimulate theta waves in the brain.

I've been told I'm a "pantser"... I just write and the story tells itself. I layer in details and shift paragraphs around after I set down an initial scaffold. I may expand on some parts or reduce others. I go through many revisions. Having a word processor is a MUST. I can't write without a keyboard; if I read anything I try to write creatively in my own handwriting, it reads like crap. But, if I see the exact same words in a font on a computer screen, I can look at it objectively. I'm just weird that way.

I write with music in the background, as well. It varies from smooth jazz, to contemporary pop to classical, depending on my mood of the moment.

I also cannot write except with a word processor for the same reason.

Sometimes an idea or a good line comes to me when I am away from my computer. I send myself a cryptic email from my iPhone so as not to lose it.

OoC

 

[CSPayne]

Though I find this post nearly two years after it's creation, I can relate to the panic of getting words onto paper.

I carry around paper and pencil at work as this is where the stories hit me most often. Plus, it makes me look like I'm doing something terribly important!

 

[Camash]

Something that really got me started was going to a place that was playing live music for the night. The energy from the band seemed to give birth to so many ideas for stories that I couldn't keep up. I had a drink at my side, soda, beer, whatever. It was always helpful, people watching is also good.

 

[Vladimir Grimmasi]

Early in the morning I write for 1 hour, let it rest a bit then come back to it to finish and revise it (or completely start over)

 

[Gregg Bell]

I have to have a certain amount of stuff inside of me for something to come out. Doesn't really matter where I am.