[Holbrook]

Rather long title that sorry.

Do you find that the mood/frame of mind you are in affects your writing?

Does the darkest scenes in your work come out of the "black Dog moods" The "fun" pieces out of the lighter happier times?

Do you find if you are in a certain frame of mind you can't even touch the key board?

I have always held the thought that writing is akin to an addiction or a form of creative madness. And as such has its "highs" and "lows".

That as we write about, on the most part human emotions, the emotions we channel on to the page do leave a small mark on us. In that it can both mentally and physically drain you.

Or do you believe that writing is a structured, logical process that one can control? Switch on and off like a tap? That writing is a business, a job, a way of making money and has nothing to do with feelings or emotions. That it should be approached coldly with only the "work" side of the brain engaged?

I knew yesterday by attempting to read through, and do the final preparation my manuscript in one go I would be pushing it.

I took breaks, did a few other jobs, went for a walk, but it still has had the affect I knew it would. Not mentally, I feel contented and happy it's done, but physically that's another story *g*

It will be an effort to move to day and I will suffer the lash of my other half's tongue for "overdoing it" and " not taking care of my self"

But it was worth it and at some point I will begin to look at a few other pieces I have that need attention. The way I am feeling both mentally and physically will impinge on any words I write, colouring my characters and their world. I couldn't stop it happening even if I tried too.

I have no on/off switch.

[enazwo]

Holbrook
I love your post as it sounds like a wild description of a post-project high.

I know that in fact there are a few people in the world that are so successfully analytical they do have a creative switch and know how to turn it off and on.

Speaking for myself I do have an ebb and flow to my creative juices and that creative tide completely controls my productivity.

There's a part of writing that is a structured process for me , but I'm afraid I will never successfully aspire to be a business man in my pursuits of writing. I did that with my music for 30 years, and at my age now I just want to do as I did with music when I was young. And thats be as good as I can be, and be happy while I'm doing it.

[Jacquin]

Is my ability to write affected by my mood?

Certainly, you know I do not write often, I really have to be in the right sort of mood, the problem with that is that what I write affects my mood.

I have got to a point in my long(er) story that I have to plumb the depths of despair to be able to feel what the character feels. Of course when I do feel like that I don't want to write at all. A vicious circle I suppose.

I need to be far more disciplined and write when I don't really feel like it, maybe I'll actually finish something then...

Take Care

J

[choppy]

Oddly, I don't find my mood has that much to do with my writing as far as relflecting in what I write. I have a tendency to work on novel-length projects so it's not practical to inject my present state of mind into the page or two that I'm working with that day.

I have noticed lately however that I am more productive in certain states of mind. I'm a grad student and I spend a lot of time behind a computer in my research, so by the end of the day I'm usually quite tired and sometimes I just don't have the energy to produce - that's when I end up playing solitaire for twenty minutes avoiding the next scene. Also if I have too much energy, it's difficult to focus myself.

Another thing I've noticed is that writing can really change my mood - depending on what I am writing about.

[milamber_reborn]

Not really, though some intense scenes require me to be totally in character.

[Gagged Man]

I find that I have better ideas when I am depressed or angry because I feel that I can burn their feelings (or lack of) onto the page better. Probably has something to do with the fact that I can harness the rage pretty well (thank you anger management:D ).

[Gary Wassner]

My moods always effect my writing. Fortunately, I have taught myself over the years how to get into certain moods so that I can write a dark passage even if I was not in a dark mood when i first began and vice/versa. but, there are still times when i cannot do that.
After 9/11 I was unable to write for about 10 days. When I finally did begin again, I was on the railroad heading into manhattan, and we were being warned daily about new threats at that time. I felt threatened and vulnerable and so incredibly sad for all the people who had died and how tragically they died. i lost friends and neighbors and it was just very difficult.
I wrote the darkest chapter I ever wrote after that. And I couldn't help but transfer my feelings into the characters.
I am lucky in that there are very few times when I don't want to write. But, my time is much more structured than some of yours here. I am no longer a student and I only have a few times a day when I am not being interrupted by phone calls or meetings or something. so, i crave those opportunities and i dive into the laptop like it is a refreshing pool of water on a hot day. though i have to admit, some days i do laps and some days i float and some days i race across the water without taking a breath.

[Brid14]

I definitely think moods affecty my writing.
If I'm upset then I get to a dramatic part and just make it as tragic and bloody as I can - though later I edit it or delete it. because it's so bad. If I'm happy I make up a silly arguement, or soemthing humorous. I can be good, sometimes, but it can also poisen your work.
Too much emotion.

[Aik Haw]

My mood does affect my writing, more severely than most people!!

[Aik Haw]

Like my mood now is the terse mood. I write everything short and brief.