Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with writing and creativity

Perhaps a chair coated with glue?

BitterOldPunk — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:09:03 -0800

With NaNoWriMo looming ever nearer, I would like to hear your best tips, tricks, habits, and techniques for staying chained to the keyboard. Realizing that the point is to get 50,000 words written, I've jettisoned all illusions of producing quality, publishable prose. My only goal is to finish without having to copypaste "All work and no play makes BOP a dull boy" five thousand times. I have a (rather vague) outline, I have some preliminary character sketches, and I have every expectation that the first ten thousand words will flow fairly quickly. But. I suck at follow-through. I have the attention span of the common housefly. So, writers: how do I stick with it, fight through discouragment and ennui, and produce 50,000 reasonably coherent words?

Note: I'm not looking for tips like "prepare moar" or "work your plan". I'm looking for how to stay motivated when the fun stuff stops and the hard work begins.

Inspired vs. Prompted Writing

pauldonato — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:29:47 -0800

I can only write well when I'm inspired, and even then it's only at blog-post length. Any time I set out do something larger, my brain shuts down. I've tried at least 100 different approaches to move beyond random, spur-of-the-moment blogging to something I could get published.

One Saturday morning, I followed the advice to just keep putting words on paper. What followed was a 10-page piece of short-story fiction written in about 2 hours. However, the rest of my weekend was shot. My eyesight was blurry, and I felt off when socializing. I had to spend the rest of the weekend playing video games and watching TV to recover.

I then showed the piece to some friends and they thought it was good but needed some corrections. I tried to revise my work, but then came this nagging sense in my mind like, "what's the point??" I hated my work. I felt no connection to it at all. I forced myself to keep revising though, and then I submitted it to a couple magazines. One replied back saying it needed some minor technical work. I could have made the fixes, but I hated the process so much I just gave up.

Without fail, any time I set out to write, rather than have it come to me, I hate it.

The bursts of steam I get only manifest into 1-5 paragraph length blog posts. I want to make articles and books that get published.

After 6 years of pinning my hopes on becoming a writer, I'm now at the point where I'm ready to give up.

Part of me is suspicious because I never saw any potential for me as a writer until I was 20 and started blogging. I feel like I should have at least evinced some early talent or interest. Also, I think there may just be something so categorically different between blogging and other writing mediums. My blogging feels very much like conversations with my friends. Often we'll just go off on some deep tangent or burst.

Is it acceptable to write a piece of fiction based on the war in Iraq?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:29:49 -0800

Would it be seen as (and is it really) exceptionally tasteless to write a fictional novel about a soldiers' experiences in Iraq? I just wrote out a lengthy explanation, but it was all sorts of moddled and there were a thousand thoughts scattered throughout.

I'm curious to know whether it would be widely considered tasteless or offensive to write a novel set mostly in Iraq about a soldiers experiences in the war there. Of course a "war novel" can go a million different directions, so suffice to say that this would be an extremely informed endeavor, with no shortage of consultancy (I've many friends and a few relatives who have fought - really fought - in the war). It would not be a rollicking action-packed adventure or anything of the sort, but it would be very, very raw.

I suppose I don't particularly care what people would think about this, as there is such a fog about what really goes on over there, and I know many, many people who have been immensely intrigued by soldiers who have blogged about their experiences.

My only qualm is that my writing style tends to be a bit cynic, perhaps almost perverted at times (I have, as an example, received a number of comparisons to Bret Easton Ellis). There would be no amount of exploitation involved, of course, but to write from about the day to day life and thoughts of a 20-something in a warzone could certainly be offensive on the grounds of those thoughts alone, even outside the the context of the war.

What are your thoughts?

List of most visited online newspapers, magazines and literature websites (blogs allowed)

omnigut — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:50:36 -0800

I've seen a list of the most popular websites, and another of the most popular blogs, but for these three categories (literature, newspapers, magazines) I've found a list hard to track down. I'd like it ordered in order of popularity, but a top-ten (or top-hundred) would be fine too. Thanks! For various reasons, I'd like to know if people have lists for either of those topics; newspapers, magazines, and literature websites.

On the side, I've also got an article reviewing how writing websites will change writers/creativity - fiction guides, writer's block removers, creativity impulses, poetry generators etc etc. Any ideas where I should submit it? It must be to an online site.

Thankyou everybody!

How many men have written work under a woman's name?

kestralwing — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:38:26 -0800

Can you think of any men who write, or have written, or create in any medium, under a woman's name? (I'm excluding transsexuals, and examples such as men in Shakespearean theatre and Japanese Noh Theatre.) There are plenty of women who have written under men's names, but I can't come up with a single example of the other way round. A true situation, or just my ignorance? This is for an Outraged Essay I'm writing, about a person who uses a female persona but whose work is full of violence against women. I strongly suspect it's a man, and I'm curious how often men might have used women's names.

The ideas are all around, floating away...

reenum — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:43:13 -0800

I feel the need to be creative, but can't figure out what sort of outlet is the best to get my ideas out. How do I figure out what sort of creativity I have? All my life, I've had lots of ideas, but I've never found an appropriate way to bring them to life.

I tried to write and got a novel done in NaNoWriMo last year, but I can never get the motivation to actually write a story. I've tried poetry, but it all comes out as maudlin and ridiculous. I established early on in my life that I can't draw. I feel like I have a lot of ideas, but nowhere to go with them.

My question is: How can I figure out what type of creativity most suits me? Any websites, books, or personal anecdotes would be much appreciated.

Help me create a wonderful thanks for a $1,000,000 guy

Jandasmo — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:34:47 -0800

A donor has given our non profit $1,000,000 to build a new hospice house building (1/3 the cost of the project). We want to honor him with something different than the usual plaque. Or at least with a plaque that is unique. Something with a key might be appropriate, but would probably be boring. We have to make a presentation to him during an event in a couple of weeks. Anyone have any creative ideas to honor this generous man?

How do writers find their ideas?

nitsuj — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 12:31:52 -0800

I'm looking for book recommendations that deal with (fully or partially) methods writers use to find interesting, fresh subjects and ideas for stories. By stories I mean non-fiction magazine or newspaper-style articles. I'm not interested in the actual writing process, but the various methods that writers use to find unique subjects and topics and angles to write about.

Failing that, articles (instead of books) dealing with this subject would work too.

If even that doesn't exist, could you tell me, dear writer, your own method for finding interesting stories to write about?

Thanks!

I have no original ideas! Help!

Eudaimonia — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 01:07:32 -0800

I need to recultivate my artsy hobbies, most specifically my writing and drawing. The problem is that I can't seem to initiate anything - I have no new ideas, nothing to work on. I'd also like to grow as a writer, but I'm my own worst critic and stop before I start (fear of failure and whatnot) - I'd like to hone my skills but I'm petrified of, well, sucking. I feel fairly competent technically. Give me a drawing or photo and I can recreate it ok, or give me a writing exercise ("describe the weather," "recount a defining moment in your life," etc.) and I do ok (...just ok.)

But I just can't make that leap out of learning to actually...making, initiating, and creating. So, Mefites, how do you tap into that font of creativity? And how do you simply get better at your creative endeavors? Any advice specific to art or writing would be much appreciated. Thanks!

if i empty my mind what will i think?

robotdog — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 21:31:28 -0800

Can meditation help me become a better writer? I am a film/tv writer and have been using the recent strike to do some deep thinking about my process, my creativity and the quality of my writing.

So far, I've had moderate success as a writer -- I would classify myself as a working professional writer. I make my living writing network drama tv, have a good agent and so forth, but feel strongly that I am not tapping into my full potential... that there is a ceiling of creativity and concentration that I am hitting and if I can break through it, I will experience a significant increase in the quality of my writing.

I have two specific goals: 1) to improve my focus and concentration for writing, and 2) maximize my creativity in the craft of writing.

I have this intuition that meditation might be a pathway that could help me crack through this ceiling. Can anyone recommend books, CDs, or other sources that will help me use meditation to work on these two areas?

Are there any other writers out there that have experimented with meditation? To what success?

Do any of you experienced meditators feel that it might hurt my creativity... ? I sometimes wonder about the emphasis on emptying your mind, and not pursuing fantasies and imaginations... pursuing fantasy and imaginative thoughts is how I write!?

I am looking for guidance that will specifically help me work on my mind as it relates to my craft. There are two books that I have found on this subject: Writing Down the Bones and David Lynch's Catching the Big Fish... they were in the right vein of what I am looking for... but I want more.

I feel like partly I am trying to recapture a phenomenon from my youth... when I was a younger (I'm 36) I can remember three different times when I have been in a strange "flow" state... when I was competing in collegiate debate I can remember going into this almost-altered state where I had two brains... one brain was controlling my mouth and ensuring the words I was saying made sense and the other brain was free to do it's own thinking and it could do things like notice stuff happening in the room (like "look at the cute girl that just walked in") but mostly I used it to plan what my talking-brain should talk about next... I could go into this state for the last year of my debating... so this only happened after years and years of focusing on debate as my primary activity.

I had a less intense version of this when I was obsessed with chess for a while... and an even less intense version when I was studying academics and taking tests.

It's been a long time since I have felt this... but I am wondering if other people have felt something similar to this... if anyone has advice on how to find this brain state again in my writing? Does this sound like it has any relationship with meditation?

dysgraphia

thinkingwoman — Sun, 20 May 2007 12:32:03 -0800

help me shake my writer's block! i have had writer's block for, oh, almost a year now. i have been working on a book for a couple of years, even taking time off from my job to concentrate on it at one point. about six months ago i scrapped my original idea (same story, different telling) and made good progress on a new version i like a lot better.

about three months ago, i stopped writing. completely. i've gone a month without even thinking about my characters. i'm not able to keep up with my blog as much as i used to. i can't even read as much as i used to. it's like my capacity for narrative has completely vanished. this is a pretty big problem considering that i have, up till now, invested a great deal of my hopes and dreams and time and energy and most of my conscious lifetime into making a living as a writer.

i don't know how to explain it--it's like a mental numbness has descended on me. i've been seeing a physician about some insomnia and hormone problems (still unresolved--thyroid and pituitary are fine), but i don't think they are to blame. my lifestyle hasn't changed much otherwise, although i feel like i've withdrawn a bit more from the world. i exercise and eat healthfully, and feel okay about my life--i'm not where i want to be, but i feel positive about my future and certainly do not dispair of my happiness. my doctor (although not a psych.) has tossed around the idea of subclinical depression and i've been taking lexapro 5mg for about 3 weeks now. once the initial side effects subsided, i didn't notice much of a difference in my difficulties, except that they don't bother me as much. :)

has anyone had this happen? do i need a therapist? or just a kick in the pants? i'm hoping to take a trip somewhere exotic and difficult this year (haven't decided where yet) in the hopes that the culture shock will make the creative juices bubble up, but that won't happen till the end of the year, if at all. so any other ideas to try in the meantime would be most appreciated.

Inspiration — not motivation — for writing.

Brittanie — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 16:51:57 -0800

Off-My-Ass-Filter: Finding inspiration — not motivation — for writing. All my life I've felt this uncontrollable urge to write. Not neccesarily to "be a writer" but just to write — to put things into words on paper.

I decided to make this a carreer, so I got a journalism degree and spent five years working at various newspapers, which, despite the BS and politics of having someone tell you what to write all the time, was more or less artistically satisfying.

Seven months ago my husband and I moved to Korea. We'll be here until the end of 2007 and I am not working, so I have planned to devote this time to doing some real writing for myself, hopefully with the intention of getting published.

Every morning I sit down, do some stream-of-counciousness writing in an old notebook, and try to piece together a short personal essay (however mundane) for my blog.

However, when it comes to trying to write something of substance, I totally draw a blank. All of my ideas (however few they are) seem really contrived and dull. I can come up with a good start for a story but not an ending. It's not motivation that's my problem — it's inspiration.

I know I'm a good writer. I just don't thing I've ever been particularly creative, and I've always favored writing about real-life events as opposed to fiction. Given that I spend most of my days at home (working as a housewife) and know very little people here, there is not a lot of material in my own life to choose from right now. I've also tried writing prompts, but they all feel a little too 7th-grade-creative-writing-class for me.

I think part of my problem is that my journalism training has conditioned me to see a lot of things in very basic terms, as there is no room for artistic liscense there. Many times, the stories I wrote for my job already had a clear beginning and end even before I wrote them — I just had to express the story, not create it.

I've also read on a different MeFi thread that many people are incabable of starting something due to an intense fear that they'll fail at it. Maybe that's my deal.

So, MeFite writers and creators, how does one go from the grain of an idea to the actual expression of that idea?

Hunting for the perfect notebook

Brittanie — Sat, 07 Jan 2006 03:50:56 -0800

In the market for a new paper notebook (one for everything). Help me find what I'm looking for. For years I've had this 8x6 or so black leather portfolio with a magnet closure and pen holder, just the right size to hold a half-sized spiral notebook (by which I mean half the size of standard letter paper). It also has a few pockets inside in which I can stash biz cards and notes.

Lately, I've become obsessed with Moleskines. However, I had a pocket ruled one a few years ago and remember not liking it so much. The cost was a bit prohibitive, but I also thought the lines were way too narrow and it was kind of a pain to write in. (No offense to the MeFite regulars who are apparently die-hard fans).

What I'd like is something along the lines of what I currently have —
1) a nice portfolio or something with a tough outer cover that will last a while but that
2) allows me to interchange the paper inside, preferably in notebook form as opposed to loose-leaf or 3-ring,
3) that also has a few random pockets, a pen holder and some sort of closure so the pages don't get destroyed when it's in my purse, and
4) which lays flat and which is
5) about half the size of the book I currently have. Maybe a bit bigger that the pocket Moleskine or at least the same size with bigger lines.

I remember seeing some Italin line with leather covers and simple, paper notebooks inside that can be interchanged. Ring any bells? Other suggestions also welcome.

How do you expand a premise into a story?

Miles Long — Thu, 29 Apr 2004 13:39:21 -0800

Creativity question: How do you expand a premise into a story? More inside.... i'm good at designing characters and making up situations but putting them into stories are really hard for me. Do you guys have any, i don't know, special techniques or something for making a premise into a fully-fledged story? Or should i just try to find a collaborator?

How do you keep from getting distracted while writing?

wanderingmind — Mon, 26 Jan 2004 23:24:55 -0800

Question for all you writers out there: how do you keep from getting distracted? What's your technique to get into the zone, focus, and let the verbiage just flow? Any and all help would be appreciated.