how do you write?

[tedgemon]

how do you write? do you write until it's done? do you take your time and let it sit on our desk until its begging to be written? do you write because you know you should? do you write only when youre inspired to do so?

[JBI]

I write my essays in at least 5 drafts. The first three pretty much align the quotes and structure, the last two focus on rhetorical devices, and stylistic conventions.

[J.D.]

Now that I have to concern myself with other matters, like living life, and can't dedicate myself solely to writing, my habits have changed a great deal. I used to write slowly and carefully, revising on the second day what I wrote the first day, revising on the third day what I wrote on the second day, and so on, so that when I reached the end I had something quite close to a "final" draft, if such things exist.

I can't afford to spend my time writing in this manner anymore, so I do things differently. First of all, I don't start something unless I intend to finish it, so I sit on the idea for a long time, long enough that I'm sure I'm interested in it. Then I basically just throw up on the page, trying to get the ideas out. I try to play with language, to reflect my own personality with the style, but I don't sweat it too much. I just write.

Later, I go back and try to sculpt something cohesive out of it. I try to identify what made the piece spontaneous and fresh to me so I won't kill that aspect through revision. I've decided that in the case of my creative works, at least, whatever connections I'm making subconsciously produce better results than when I force themes or connections, so the most I try to do is clarify or adjust. I'm like that in my personality, too. The most insightful or witty things I say sort of just come out without much thought, as if the gears turn more smoothly in my brain when I'm unaware of them.

[integrity]

Tearing my hair out in bloody clumps.

That's how I write.

And that's if I am not procrastinating about it.

[mortalterror]

I start with an image or a joke that makes me laugh, and if I feel the situation has the potential to be expanded I do so. I run through several drafts, spit balling and streamlining. Then I put it away for awhile to see if I still find what I wrote funny or if I was just drunk that day. I return to what I write if I think it's any good and cut and cut and cut, until only the best parts remain, and then I start again. The pain is transitions, that and maintaining my own interest in a project. Most things I don't really care enough about to put any work on and I dash them off and dump them.

[Dori]

There's a lot of procrastination and hoping for the best in my writing. Sometimes I just throw something together (see my blog entry "On Dictators and Cows"). I usually don't brainstorm, nor do I do rough drafts. I revise as I write.

[aBIGsheep]

Usually I'll just have these huge urges to write and I'll just bust out a ton of small stories or poems. Sometimes it could go on for days before I get caught up in one special story, suddenly lose my drive, and just stop right in the middle of it and abandon it for som

[mickitaz]

Usually I only write when something touches me deeply. I start off with an inspirational phrase or sentance. Sometimes, the rest comes fluidly. Other times, it will take months.. or years to finish something.

[OnMyWay]

When I can't sleep and thoughts keep rolling around in my head. I get up at all hours of the night, write a page or two...maybe a poem. When I'm finished I go back to bed.

I'd like to go to bed now, because I've been looking around on this site for an hour. I can not, for my life, find out how to post something new of my own. I'd appreciate help, if anyone's willing to give it.

[Melmoth]

I do not write... I just keep re-writing...

I'd like to think the process begins with emotions recollected in tranquillity as the Romantic said and I in my case it's 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration... as someone said (why do I never remember who said that???)

Of course, the problem comes when the 1% is missing for long and one can call it back...

Needless to say, you write as you read... alone... he he ;) . Let me manipulate Conrad's words ('You die as you dream... alone')

And you somehow write what you read... The influence of one's readings in one's writings is, I believe, more than obvious... at least in my case, again.

[jgweed]

Posting is simple. Go to the forum in which you want to post and click on the "new topic" botton at the top left (for example, click on the Philosphical Literature forum from the main page, the click on the blue tab right above the words "threads in Forum."
The result will be a blank entry with a place for the Topic Title, and then a larger empty box in which you can either write out what you want to post, or copy and paste from a word processor.
Cheers,
John

[storywriter101]

Usually I start a story and don't finish it. They may become finished sometime. There is a funny story I am writing right now that I am focusing on finishing because it is a story I think people would enjoy, and it is one of those stories that can easily have a sequel. Check it out!

[Mortdefides]

How do I write?

I have many ways to inspire myself but it mainly comes without me asking it to do it. For example I sit on a bench in a summer day and look at the sunset, millions of sparkles everywhere... Who won't feel at least a little bit emotional? Then I begin to imagine - a calm couple, sitting on the same bench, talking about life and death... Then the sunset comes and - you have it - story, I just add a few more things I think of whilst writing and that's all.

Other times I sit on my desk at home, take a notebook, draw something stupid, get bored and rest lifelessly on the chair... In a moment I notice the moon outside, shining high and bright... Then an idea comes - a lonely abandoned street, sleeping as the whole city. Then I create the characters, the plot and - done again.

So what makes me write, what brings in me the dreadful desire to express myself in words is mostly the nature which surrounds me in my beautiful motherland...

[blazeofglory]

I write and rarely edit what I write. English is my second language and when I used to write in Nepali, my mother tongue, I did not have to think twice and ideas occurred to me interminably and there was no problem or shortage of words, no worries about structuring or organizing sentences.

Now I write in English and it is a borrowed language. I run short of words and write with suspicion that there can be countless flaws in my grammar, and of course in the choice of right words, for I am always afraid that I may lack coherence and consistency in my writings.

Yet until I am told to present or deliver something in writings for some programs I do not prune or hone or edit what I write.

I believe in spontaneity, that means I want to let ideas flow from me and take their own courses and language will follow suit and take their care themsleves.
Now I have scaled a certain height and measured certain distances and crossed some impending barriers and at this stage I feel comfortable with the language tool but still I am far off from native writers in English. I learned it not the way in which I learned Nepali, and I learned it not through interactions or verbal conversations or getting across with native speakers.

I learned it through books, reading everything and impressing or imprinting them on myself and indeed it has been a Herculean task but considerably I succeeded in yoking it on my back to the extent I am communicating with you now. I have just scaled a small mountain and other bigger mountains are before me.

[integrity]

it's 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration... as someone said (why do I never remember who said that???)

Wasn't that Arnold Schwartzenegger?

:lol:

Actually, it was Thomas Edison who supposedly said that. But I still suspect Schwartzenegger perspired more. And Edison inspired more.

[blazeofglory]

This writing thing drives me and and it is a funny thing. I do write restively and never taking a little rest. I am a tireless, unpublished writer and mine is a shaky and untrodden and unexplored path.

I write tirelessly and I believe in perfection. In fact perfection is a state and that is not concrete but abstract. The goal is not a place or destination, it is a journey.

I write and keep on writing despite the fact there are too many hurdles and I am hooked to it all the time. I am intoxicated by this writing thing.

[cipherdecoy]

I write whenever I'm inspired to do so. But most of the time laziness gets the better of me and my work is left to rot in a corner.

When I do write however, I usually make some scribbles on paper, try to organize my thoughts a little better, and type it out on Microsoft Word. I usually alternate between paper and computer. But basically there's no fixed way of writing for me. Sometimes I write on whim during boring lessons and other times I write because I have a nagging urge to do so, which may or may not be accompanied by inspiration.

[rtc143]

For me, I usually have no plans, no ideas, I just write whatever comes to mind, unless I'm writing lit. essays. But in my free writing, I start with a sentence and build onto it. It is a pretty stupid way to write because usually I have no idea what I myself am talking about until it is close to done. lol

[Leitmotif]

Writing. You just write.

But, what do you want to write? A poem, an essay or a letter? How do you prepared yourself to write depends on what you want to write. Look at the blogs all around us. Everybody writes. From a simple message to incoherent compilations of words; it's all about the topic.

Best way to start writing is to write, write and write. If you started worrying about the moods and occasions, you will keep waiting, whole life long. So, start writing about anything and everything.

You want to write something, that's the best part of it. Ever imagine how many of us are not able to write down what's there in their minds. You are lucky, lucky enough to be able to pose these questions, in writing.

[blazeofglory]

All that I believe about writing is it must be spontaneous and effortless. In point of fact all that I feel about writing is ideas must spring up from somewhere and all we need are words and sentences. Creative writings can not be possible without inspiration. Unlike other works creativity is not only not manual it is linked with lifeblood.

Creativity is close to divinity and without divine inspirations one can not be creative writers. You may keep on working manually for hours and hours, but if have no fountainhead of inspiration you can not come up with beautiful pieces of art.

Great books like the Mahabharata, the Iliad, the Bible, Paradise Lost could not have birthed if the writers of them were not inspired at all. There must be undoubtedly great repositories of inspirations.

The lifeblood or essence of creative writing has to do with connection, and of course connection with or in point of fact it has to do with being at one with the universe.

In creativity I see things in their manifestation. When we diverge from the domain of creativity we see the surface of the thing not the core of it.

[wilbur lim]

Precisely,it's a significant elucidation,writers do write with tenacity and other merits.
I write mechanically,I won't perceived too long as it would waste time.This habit had terminated since last year,for now I am obsessed with reading and learning.I wrote about adventures which is noteworthy,significant and FECUND indeed.

Literally write,write,write,write.It's ceaseless.

[blazeofglory]

Precisely,it's a significant elucidation,writers do write with tenacity and other merits.
I write mechanically,I won't perceived too long as it would waste time.This habit had terminated since last year,for now I am obsessed with reading and learning.I wrote about adventures which is noteworthy,significant and FECUND indeed.

Literally write,write,write,write.It's ceaseless.

This wrting thing is totally private and personal. Of course there are professional courses and packages you can buy, but all these stuffs can not help in the making of a real writer. The lifeblood of it is to completely immersed into writing. To be possessed by the spirit of it where in the doer and the done will become at one with each other.

[mercymyqueen]

The work, my dear, tells you. A work is like an animal, very temperamental, quite unique, and never easy to handle.

Read a lot, is all I can suggest. This site's a good one.

[xtianfriborg13]

I write by free-styling, you know what I mean? I just let the thought flow through my hands, writing. Editing also comes along with it.