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Quirky writer’s habits

April 15, 2014 By Emily 31 Comments

I’ve been asked if I have any quirky writer’s habits. And I have to say (chomp) that I absolutely (crunch, munch) positively (gulp, yum) don’t have any.

Sorry about that. You don’t mind if I eat eight Freddo Frogs while I write this post, do you?

Make that nine.

 
I’m sure it doesn’t surprise anyone to learn that I eat chocolate while I’m writing. A lot. I eat a lot of chocolate anyway, but when you’re sitting at a computer with words to write, people to please and deadlines to meet, it’s easier to justify eating a few hundred more frogs. Or bars. Or blocks.

I eat chocolate, but that’s far from the quirkiest of my writer’s habits. So I’ll let you in on what I do when I’m stuck on something. When I’m yet to decide which direction to take a piece, or when I’m simply suffering from a good old fashioned case of writer’s block, I usually do one of two completely different things, depending on where I am, who’s with me and what I might have already done that day to combat writer’s block.

I will either get up, crank up the music to a favourite song, and belt it out at the top of my lungs. (Thorn in My Side, I Like You Better When You’re Not Around and Belle are particular favourites, as are any songs from Les Miserables or The Little Mermaid.)

Or, I will sit there and write to the general theme of what I’m doing in as Seussian a way as possible. I will rhyme, make up words, invent ridiculous scenarios that haven’t yet happened (and are most unlikely to), or do all three.

For example, if I’m writing a blog post about quirky writer’s habits and I can’t think of any to write about, I might write this:

Quirky writer’s habits? Oh no, not me
I find writing as easy as can be
I don’t succumb to chocky temptation
Or sing for a fake audience’s admiration
Or write silly rhymes of my own creation
I have the knack
To stay on track
I’m not some hack
(Cue panic attack…)

 
Or if I’m writing a future best-selling dinosaur murder mystery set in Antarctica, and I’m not yet sure which dinosaur dunnit, I might write this:

The Tyrannosaurus Rex lay in wait
By the Stegosaurus’s front gate
‘He’ll never know I’m here’ thought he
‘And then I’ll finally get some tea!’
But T-Rex was getting very old
And his arthritis played up in the cold
When Stega found him lying there
His puny arms stuck in the air
Stega claimed T-Rex’s head
And mounted it above his bed
(Next to those of Pteranodon,
Triceratops and Iguanodon)

 

Or if I’m writing a special Budget edition of a company’s e-newsletter (unfortunately, this is the exciting sort of thing I’m much more likely to be writing), and I’m a little uninspired by the actual Budget that was handed down (surely not?!), I might write the following:

Hockey’s first Budget was a real humdinger
We expected a dud, but landed a zinger
He pulled $100M out of his rear
To spend on marshmallows for MPs next year
(And of course, some new whizz-bang fire roasting gear)

 
(NB: If Mr Hockey announces a $100 million MP marshmallow program next month, just remember that you heard it here first.)

—-

Each month, I receive a writing prompt as part of a link-up called Writers Reveal. This post was inspired by the prompt ‘Quirky Writer’s Habits’ from Ashley at Author Ashley Howland.

You can see what everyone else has done with the same prompt at:

Melissa Writes
the Wolfe’s Den
Imagine! Create! Write!
A Parenting Life
Author Ashley Howland

 

Do you have any quirky writer’s habits? How do you deal with writer’s block?

Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: chocolate, rhyme, words, writing

« Things it’s difficult to do with your non-dominant arm/hand
Children’s book review – April »

Comments

  1. Jodi Gibson says

    April 15, 2014 at 10:28 am

    Oh you’re a classic! I don’t have any quirky writing habits either, but sometimes I wish I had one. You know, all the famous classic authors seem to!

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:28 pm

      Maybe you have one you don’t realise you have. Like pulling a funny face? (I watched a video of myself playing piano once and was MORTIFIED to discover I stick my tongue out during fast passages.)

      Reply
  2. Aroha @ Colours of Sunset says

    April 15, 2014 at 12:58 pm

    I love your rhyming and singing posts! You’re so clever! I might give the whole “eating chocolate while writing” thing a try. I have some easter eggs in the cupboard that aren’t going to make it til the weekend anyway! 😉

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:29 pm

      Thanks Aroha! If you’re in need of an excuse to eat chocolate, it’s a good one.

      Reply
  3. Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me says

    April 15, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    How are you not a pork chop with all that chocolate Miss Em? You really must start writing kid’s books, that T-Rex one is FABULOUS!

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:30 pm

      Genetics. Although, as I get older, my pork chop resemblance is on the increase. And thank you. I’d LOVE to write kids’ books.

      Reply
  4. Melissa says

    April 15, 2014 at 3:55 pm

    I love those verses 🙂 Very creative.

    Chocolate is a must in a writer’s life… I need to find a better hiding place for mine, somehow it keeps disappearing…

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:32 pm

      May I recommend hiding it in your mouth? Nom nom!

      Reply
  5. Tegan Churchill says

    April 15, 2014 at 7:53 pm

    I don’t have any quirky writing habits, although I guess some people would think that writing on the couch in front of the tv as weird.

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:33 pm

      I can’t do that. So yes!

      Reply
  6. Mumabulous says

    April 15, 2014 at 9:32 pm

    I need more rhyme in my life – hows about something like this?
    Nothing is more certain to crush my libido
    Than the sight of TA in a speedo

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:40 pm

      This. Is. Gold. You do need more rhyme in your life if you’re producing gold like that.

      Reply
  7. Ashley says

    April 17, 2014 at 10:26 pm

    great post, love freddo! You should get lots of writing done over Easter with all that chocolate!

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:42 pm

      Unfortunately not – dang this sling!!

      Reply
  8. Pinky Poinker says

    April 18, 2014 at 9:19 am

    This is a bit weird but when I’m writing my post I can’t speak to anyone. My heart starts palpitating and I get really anxious. When I finally look up at the end, an hour has passed and I don’t know where the time went. I’m like a woman possessed by the devil. These are my husband’s words not mine.

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:42 pm

      Wow. That’s intense! I hope it’s enjoyable at the same time.

      Reply
  9. Lee-Anne Walker says

    April 18, 2014 at 2:10 pm

    Haha…please don’t write an epic novel or you’ll be obese (with that quirky writing habit!)

    My only quirk is ENDLESS cups of tea. And ‘writer’s block’ is awful…my technique is to give the piece some space and come back to it with (hopefully) a fresh eye.

    Great post 🙂

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:43 pm

      Maybe I can write an epic novel about turning myself obese by eating chocolate while writing my epic novel!

      Reply
  10. Rhianna SG says

    April 18, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    Oh man your blog ate my comment! Must have liked all the sweets that I mentioned that I like to eat! For me I choose smaller things than fredos like skittles or m&ms. I consume in such a large quantity I figure small sizes are best!

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:45 pm

      Nom nom, hungry blog! Big or small, it all gets eaten anyway, so I buy in bulk to save money. That’s what I tell myself, anyway. Then promptly eat it all in one go.

      Reply
  11. Cybele @ BlahBlah says

    April 18, 2014 at 8:10 pm

    Eurhythmics belted at top volume and chocolate that sounds like heaven. I love it x

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:45 pm

      ‘Tis heaven when the words flow at the end!

      Reply
  12. Becky Fyfe says

    April 21, 2014 at 8:29 am

    Love your quirky writer habits! Music is helpful to me too, and who doesn’t love chocolate? 🙂

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:46 pm

      Thanks Becky!

      Reply
  13. Grace says

    April 22, 2014 at 10:51 am

    I am sitting here (not eating chocolate) but laughing my arse off at this post! $100M on marshmallows??!!! Better get me a political career! x
    P.S Enjoy those Freddos!

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:49 pm

      Even my sweet tooth starts to ache at the idea of that many marshmallows. Bleeeuch.

      Reply
  14. J.C. Wolfe says

    April 24, 2014 at 1:31 am

    Great quirks! I especially love the poetry you write; it’s always hilarious! Eating chocolate and singing Disney songs? What could be better?

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:50 pm

      Thanks J.C., that means a lot!

      Reply
  15. Bron Maxabella says

    April 24, 2014 at 11:31 pm

    I HAVE to have a window open next to me and no overhead lighting. Clearly the corporate high-rise was a mistake for me… x

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:51 pm

      Haha, yes I can see where that didn’t gel! I’m scared of heights so my year on the 36th floor was hell!

      Reply
  16. Bec @ Seeing the Lighter Side says

    April 16, 2015 at 1:57 pm

    Wow, you’re such a creative procrastinator! I need to get me some interesting writing habits. I just surf Facebook and read blog posts:)

    Reply

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Hi! I’m Emily

I parent. I write. I blog. I play with words and numbers in my head. Constantly. It's crowded in there.

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