Hello, I just joined LitReactor, and I was wondering how people go about writing. I mean what rituals do you follow? With me it all depends on which story I am working on and what part. I tend to go for having loud music playing or a movie I've seen so much that it doesn't distract me to hear it. I used to always be chewing liquorice whiles I would be at the computer typing away. I stopped that... side track right now I wonder if I started chewing gum if I would have the same trans going on as before.
I usually write with headphones on. I'm prone to distraction so having the headphones suppilies the music and cuts out other noise aroud me. I have a certain spot that I write in too and I find it difficult to write in other places.
Also with the gum chewing thing, give it a try. Since liquorice worked maybe it's just jaw movement in general. It couldn't hurt to try.
I used to only be able to write with music playing and that's really it. But then I read a theory that the feeling you get when you hear a song you love or see a great part of a movie you love is the exact same feeling you get when you create. That's why music can inspire you to write, it's the same feeling. So all you have to do is tap into that feeling instead of waiting for the inspiration of a good song or a movie or whatever. Now I don't need or even really want music playing, silence works better now that I've learned to tap into that inspiration any time I want. I think it's some Zen shit or something.
I have to be in the silence, in my head. I have to be able to fully picture everything before I jot it down, thus conventional outlining has at times not be as lucrative as sketching my character. I need to hear the music in my head, that cello playing in the background. The music box.
For me it is just white noise since I live near a fire station.