How do you write when you're not in the mood?

Thanks, an interesting thread

 

Gamble all your money away and live on the street for a week. I guarantee that if you are in L.A. you will finally be motivated to write.

 

I lived in L.A. (North Hollywood/Venice Beach), when I started out in the business I'm in. L.A. is a tough city and I do know what you mean.

 

I like it.

In my city, Five days are more than enough to encourage anyone to write. It is better to live behind the desk than on the street.

The thread has already got the best answer but in case it may useful, here are few opinion based on my experiences.

I'm not professional writer (I love teaching) but sometimes I write for local newspapers (using native/non English language). When I'm not in the mood to write, I'll stop writing and spend the times with family. But if it about the job and someone want me to write, I'll write as best as I could which mean it will not be as good as what I usually write.

ARICK

 

For myself, half of the writing process is mental, and that's where it begins. Just as with many other disciplines, mentally focusing on the subject I have to write about helps prepare me for the actual words. Sometimes this involves reading and researching as well. And then, just getting some words down gets things rolling.

 

What you should know about writers: what they write is in their had. So it's quite not an effort to put down the paper the words. Actually it makes you feel good cause, on the paper, you can organize better your thoughts. Also when you see the result ... well people might thank for your work - so you can feel better twice!

 

I would suggest don't write till you get your mood because if you write spam content Google as well your client will not like it and there are changes you might lose the work, I would suggest pick your topics on which you are a good writer mood will follow in.

 

That is good advice, but could you tell us what tricks you use to *get in the mood* to write?

 

Well, this may sound a bit weird but this is what I do:

When I am seriously not in the mood for writing on a certain subject, or to write at all(which hardly ever happens, but still..) I set the article aside and visit my favorite sources for news and keep reading there until I find something which royally pisses me off(easy task these days with a world going to hell in a hand basket). That sparks the need to write about it which I do for my own blogs. I write the most angry article you could think of but while I am writing it, a funny thing happens. I get all kinds of ideas and angles for the subject I put aside. After my angry article is done, I am ready and full of ideas to write up the article I needed to write up in the first place.

Silly isn't it?

 

@Kraven2
Not silly at all, that my friend is called *passion* which can be a writers best friend.

 

Writing is therapy for your anger issues! lol!

 

When I don't feel like writing, I read or listen to a lecture of a fresh, new subject that interests me. That does the trick.

 

Due to the cluster failure 12 comments were zapped, hope all will return to this thread and repost. You are all certainly welcome to.
@snicolaou
I will repost my comment to you. I do believe you are right in that reinvigorating one's mind with fresh info/ideas, can help one get back into the mood to write.

 

well i am a writer and do have a team of native U.S./U.K. writers. Frankly speaking i make writing my income source much later, you can say it is like a hobby to me. In fact, when i don have mood to do any work or get bored or feeling down by anything, i start to pen my thoughts, this bring me back to life, and motivate me.

 

@goforgogo
Thanks for posting, you are the 1st poster to post after the massive cluster failure where this thread lost so much. It's nice to get it up and running again.
Because writing to you is a hobby as opposed to your main source of income, then I am presuming that you *only* write when you're in the mood? If that is the case then finding a way to write when you're not in the mood, would therefore be a non issue.

 

To get in the mood to write I have a routine. I clear my desk of all of the clutter that has built up since the last time, take a shower (I don't always include this step depending when my last was, but it tends to help), make some hot tea, let my kids know not to disturb me, and plug in my noise-canceling headphones. Then I close all extraneous windows I have up and turn on dubstep music.

This routine never fails me.

 

@Tarissa
Having a set routine makes a lot of sense if you're a reasonably structured writer. The problem is many writers are artistic undisciplined types, with no routine at all. You walk into their hovels and it's a pigsty. So these types will *never* get a routine going.

 

lol I don't know. I'm a pretty undisciplined type and tend to very much be the messy type.

That's why I think this works for me. It forces my cluttered brain to focus. First, I have to unclutter my creative space, then the shower kinds of makes you feel like you're getting ready for something, not to mention you feel better physically afterward. Tea just helps my muse and always has.

Then I minimize my distractions by telling my kids not to bother me and listening to loud, obnoxious music. I have really bad ADD, so the dubstep actually helps me focus by keeping my fast-paced mind occupied in the background so I can focus on writing.

So if anything, I think my method was developed because I'm every bit the messy, disorganized, unfocused writer you mention.

 

What you are it seems, is a highly motivated, messy, disorganized, unfocused novice writer, who loves to write. So.....do we *finally* have consensus?

 

Hahahaha I guess so! xD