Where do you like to write?

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  • #31
    Re: Where do you like to write?

    Originally posted by Centos View Post
    I sometimes start with music... but five or ten minutes in it has to go off. It's a distraction. I've always been that way with music. If I'm listening to music I'm listening to music - I've never liked it as a background to something else. (I know, weird.)
    I find my "theme" song. Put it on repeat. And it repeats through the whole script. But after awhile I barely know it's there.
    "I just couldn't live in a world without me."

    Comment


    • #32
      Re: Where do you like to write?

      Originally posted by Vango View Post
      It is tough for me to write emotional scenes without music. However, I only listen to instrumental music/movie themes.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug5IOh6PxWQ&t=18355s
      It doesn't work for me. I listen to music before writing while working through the plot in my head, but when I sit down and start typing I'm trying to concentrate on getting the right word and music in the background is just a frustrating distraction. (I can't even ignore elevator music.) And I like instrumental music. Back when I couldn't write short stories (before I couldn't write screenplays) I had a ritual where I would play the same song before working on a longish (novella?) story I was writing. I would sit down, put on the music and (usually before the song was over) I would shut it off.

      It was this one. (Don't know why I liked it so much, at the time — still like it but not like I did.)
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EenK...W6b4o9&index=4

      Some other songs I like (when working out stories):

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFQ9NV1fCk8
      (Can't hardly beat Hank Crawford)

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rcm4QW4GHc
      (Ry Cooder comes pretty close.)

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-NzORAp9jk

      I also like vocal music in other languages because I don't understand it — the voice is like an instrument.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyomNpe5YV0

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KANRz0TYpY

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK1Now-bS4o

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km09Uv0ddUI

      (And tons of others... sorry.)

      Originally posted by TigerFang View Post
      It may be the choice of music. Try anything by Mozart at a barely audible level.
      Barely audible, for me, would be worse. Honestly, I can not ignore music when it's playing. It's a deficiency, but it is what it is.

      Originally posted by Friday View Post
      It's like enjoying a favorite scene in a movie. The music enhances that scene. Scorsese practically lives off it. I think after a while you get used to it, even crave having that music.
      I'll play the same song over and over (sometimes) when working out a scene in a screenplay (in my head) but when I sit down to type I have to concentrate on the words. I guess I'm not bright enough to do two things at once.
      Last edited by Centos; 10-06-2019, 12:50 AM.
      STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

      Comment


      • #33
        Re: Where do you like to write?

        Originally posted by StoryWriter View Post
        I find my "theme" song. Put it on repeat. And it repeats through the whole script. But after awhile I barely know it's there.
        I do that before sitting down to type, but not once I start typing. If I leave it on I eventually get frustrated, even angry.
        STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

        Comment


        • #34
          Re: Where do you like to write?

          I have an office at home. I do best when my family is nearby (but NOT in my office). Of course, there are sometimes ill-timed interruptions, but I'll take that tradeoff.
          I don't listen to music. I can't hear what my characters are saying then... Seriously, I just like to write with no outside sensory input.

          Comment


          • #35
            Re: Where do you like to write?

            Several decades ago I read something interesting about the German poet Friedrich Schiller. (Schiller, author of the words that you hear sung in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony: "Freude, Schöne, Götterfunken," etc.) It is said that he liked to have the smell of rotting apples in the room when he wrote. I have found this to be superfluous for me, since my writing stinks up the room anyway, heh! (Rimshot here, but no laughter.)

            But, seriously, folks ...

            The radio is on all the time. Or the TV after 5 p.m. or so. I can write and somehow listen with enough attention to shout insults back to Thom Hartmann (progressive radio; purveyor of delusions and left-wing propaganda) or to Sean Hannity or anyone else on FoxNews (conservative TV; purveyor of hypocrisy and right-wing propaganda). I make quite a day of it. I usually require a nap right after supper to recharge.

            The radio does not seem to distract me. Maybe it comes from my days as a University Public Relations news writer, when beat reporters (that included me) were all in one big open room with several secretaries around. This was pre-computer days, and the typewriters were clicking and clacking with a lot of noise, and telephones were ringing. Fun days - oh, to be young again!

            But, anyhow, a little background noise is fine, and I really like to have it.

            "The fact that you have seen professionals write poorly is no reason for you to imitate them." - ComicBent.

            Comment


            • #36
              Re: Where do you like to write?

              When I write (which is not often these days, new business = no time) I take my laptop over to a guest house on the property which has a nice desk, plenty of quiet and no wifi.

              But I'm a horse trainer by trade so there's lots of mindless work on the farm and I've found I do my best thinking while mucking stalls. Dunno what it says about my ideas that they come to me while I'm literally shoveling ****.
              Last edited by tinlizzie; 10-07-2019, 07:31 AM. Reason: typo

              Comment


              • #37
                Re: Where do you like to write?

                Originally posted by Centos View Post
                It doesn't work for me. I listen to music before writing while working through the plot in my head, but when I sit down and start typing I'm trying to concentrate on getting the right word and music in the background is just a frustrating distraction. (I can't even ignore elevator music.) And I like instrumental music. Back when I couldn't write short stories (before I couldn't write screenplays) I had a ritual where I would play the same song before working on a longish (novella?) story I was writing. I would sit down, put on the music and (usually before the song was over) I would shut it off.

                It was this one. (Don't know why I liked it so much, at the time - still like it but not like I did.)
                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EenK...W6b4o9&index=4

                Some other songs I like (when working out stories):

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFQ9NV1fCk8
                (Can't hardly beat Hank Crawford)

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rcm4QW4GHc
                (Ry Cooder comes pretty close.)

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-NzORAp9jk

                I also like vocal music in other languages because I don't understand it - the voice is like an instrument.

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyomNpe5YV0

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KANRz0TYpY

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK1Now-bS4o

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km09Uv0ddUI

                (And tons of others... sorry.)



                Barely audible, for me, would be worse. Honestly, I can not ignore music when it's playing. It's a deficiency, but it is what it is.



                I'll play the same song over and over (sometimes) when working out a scene in a screenplay (in my head) but when I sit down to type I have to concentrate on the words. I guess I'm not bright enough to do two things at once.
                Added some of those to my playlist. Thank you.

                Comment


                • #38
                  Re: Where do you like to write?

                  Originally posted by Friday View Post
                  I am friendly with most of them, but when it's a new crew (high turnover) I have to start over again. It's really the Supervisors more so than the barristas themselves. I think Corporate keeps track of how many refills customers have and how long the ones that camp out there are staying. There was this tea shop (I never go in there, but saw the sign), it says that it charges customers per 1.5 hours they stay there for an occupancy fee.
                  Hmm... I thought that was the whole point of Starbuck's-- to create a "hang out" environment?

                  How can they charge an occupancy fee if there are tables open? Crazy. In my little neck of the woods in North Dallas, there are a number of cafe/restaurants within walking distance, the problem is looking for the best wi-fi. haha

                  TigerFang-- I agree with you, anything Mozart and I'm in heaven. Vivaldi is nice too. I also listen to soundtracks like Vango does, which I love-- mostly it's Hans Zimmer or Tyler Bates. I should expand.

                  I have power beats and studio beats, because hanging out around town with power beats on, people don't hassle you. studio beats are for the aircraft because I need noise cancelling, in case people get friendly next to me or there's an infant struggling with the pressure changes.

                  I usually have CNN playing in the background or light classical or rain/wind/water sounds-- anything with words and I get distracted. Once I start writing I zone out. If I'm listening to a podcast at the same time I am constantly rewinding it-- it's a strange practice.

                  When I'm in a zone I don't even notice that I'm not listening to anything.

                  Today is the first day in about 6 months where I can sit on my patio in the morning and it's not already a stifling 90 degrees. It's currently 70 degrees with "good" air quality.

                  The only thing I like about massive snow storms was sitting in my office and watching it consume everything outside with a soft yet relentless "whispering" of snow piling up atop itself.

                  I'm not sure I could handle TF's 40' x 40' space but I was thinking that a "wespace" might be something i'd like to try. not sure. Has anyone else rented space to write?

                  FA4
                  "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Re: Where do you like to write?

                    Originally posted by tinlizzie View Post
                    When I write (which is not often these days, new business = no time) I take my laptop over to a guest house on the property which has a nice desk, plenty of quiet and no wifi.

                    But I'm a horse trainer by trade so there's lots of mindless work on the farm and I've found I do my best thinking while mucking stalls. Dunno what it says about my ideas that they come to me while I'm literally shoveling ****.
                    Congrats on your new business, tinlizzie.
                    "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Re: Where do you like to write?

                      Originally posted by Centos View Post
                      It doesn't work for me. I listen to music before writing while working through the plot in my head, but when I sit down and start typing I'm trying to concentrate on getting the right word and music in the background is just a frustrating distraction. (I can't even ignore elevator music.) And I like instrumental music. Back when I couldn't write short stories (before I couldn't write screenplays) I had a ritual where I would play the same song before working on a longish (novella?) story I was writing. I would sit down, put on the music and (usually before the song was over) I would shut it off.

                      It was this one. (Don't know why I liked it so much, at the time - still like it but not like I did.)
                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EenK...W6b4o9&index=4

                      Some other songs I like (when working out stories):

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFQ9NV1fCk8
                      (Can't hardly beat Hank Crawford)

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rcm4QW4GHc
                      (Ry Cooder comes pretty close.)

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-NzORAp9jk

                      I also like vocal music in other languages because I don't understand it - the voice is like an instrument.

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyomNpe5YV0

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KANRz0TYpY

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK1Now-bS4o

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km09Uv0ddUI

                      (And tons of others... sorry.)



                      Barely audible, for me, would be worse. Honestly, I can not ignore music when it's playing. It's a deficiency, but it is what it is.



                      I'll play the same song over and over (sometimes) when working out a scene in a screenplay (in my head) but when I sit down to type I have to concentrate on the words. I guess I'm not bright enough to do two things at once.
                      Great list, Centos, thanks for sharing it. I especially love the Beth Bruc-- beautiful.

                      One of my favorite types of vocals is ARIA-- you know that haunting solo in epics, like 300, Troy, and other amazing films, love love it.

                      The Magic Flute by Mozart is one of my all time favs. I think they did a version of it in The Fifth Element and changed it to a very upbeat contemporary version. Loved it.
                      "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Re: Where do you like to write?

                        Originally posted by tinlizzie View Post
                        But I'm a horse trainer by trade so there's lots of mindless work on the farm and I've found I do my best thinking while mucking stalls. Dunno what it says about my ideas that they come to me while I'm literally shoveling ****.
                        Mindless work is great. I can generally trip my brain into "I'd rather be anywhere but here" mod in seconds and start chipping away at any number of story problems.

                        Writing though? At home, with the family all around. Optimum time to write is that glorious 50min period between me getting home and my partner getting home, step son at the other end of the house screaming Fortnightish or Minecraft at his friends, step daughter studying and me with YouTube playing music at a barely tolerable volume and drowning out all the pyschobabble of the day that has just been. The only time I emerge is if YouTube throws a **** song at me or the kids come to complain the music is loud.
                        I heard the starting gun


                        sigpic

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          Re: Where do you like to write?

                          Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                          Hmm... I thought that was the whole point of Starbuck's-- to create a "hang out" environment?

                          How can they charge an occupancy fee if there are tables open? Crazy. In my little neck of the woods in North Dallas, there are a number of cafe/restaurants within walking distance, the problem is looking for the best wi-fi. haha

                          TigerFang-- I agree with you, anything Mozart and I'm in heaven. Vivaldi is nice too. I also listen to soundtracks like Vango does, which I love-- mostly it's Hans Zimmer or Tyler Bates. I should expand.

                          I have power beats and studio beats, because hanging out around town with power beats on, people don't hassle you. studio beats are for the aircraft because I need noise cancelling, in case people get friendly next to me or there's an infant struggling with the pressure changes.

                          I usually have CNN playing in the background or light classical or rain/wind/water sounds-- anything with words and I get distracted. Once I start writing I zone out. If I'm listening to a podcast at the same time I am constantly rewinding it-- it's a strange practice.

                          When I'm in a zone I don't even notice that I'm not listening to anything.

                          Today is the first day in about 6 months where I can sit on my patio in the morning and it's not already a stifling 90 degrees. It's currently 70 degrees with "good" air quality.

                          The only thing I like about massive snow storms was sitting in my office and watching it consume everything outside with a soft yet relentless "whispering" of snow piling up atop itself.

                          I'm not sure I could handle TF's 40' x 40' space but I was thinking that a "wespace" might be something i'd like to try. not sure. Has anyone else rented space to write?

                          FA4

                          It's probably different in different areas. In New York and Los Angeles, for instance, they usually want to get customers in and out as soon as possible. Of course, most of the time, they do it more subtly - not as transparent as that tea shop that put on that sign -- and that tea shop seems to be less busy now. I read an article where it said that Starbucks deliberately removed couches and just had wooden chairs so people don't get too comfortable squatting there too long.

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Re: Where do you like to write?

                            This is just a general post not directed at anyone before I offend my friends:


                            I'm a writer and I love coffee shops. And I've written there. But I find it annoying if a customer takes up a table for more than 2 hours and even more upsetting when they don't even buy a somthing every 2 hours -- that's like the unwritten rule. Starbucks in NYC, I cared less as there are 1000 of them and someone is going to take the seat, often someone that doesn't buy anything.

                            My rule is I sit there for 2 hours at most and leave. I just feel bad sitting there any longer and also more than that and I'm just wasting time anyway.

                            I'm just saying -- there is a small coffee shop in town and the guy has signs pleding with people saying the place will close if you don't buy something. He has to buy for the WiFi and electricity... and he's not wrong. He is mean and direct though. He'll kick out old people. However, I see his point. And he would be a good TV show character. In real life CHEERS would be closed because NORM put them out of business.

                            I'm just saying, maybe sit there for 2 to 4 hours, buy some coffee and muffins, be nice and then maybe go find another coffee shop to write in. Or Panera. Or whereever.

                            Wanting to sit there for 12 hours is unfair I think to everyone including your own ass!

                            And the point of all coffee places is to make money. Not help writers sit there. I know we get confused by this. I'm just saying, when I'm with my kid getting Starbucks coffee and I see a guy taking out a table for 5 all day and he has a coffee cup from 7-11 you want to punch that guy in the face.

                            I just don't think people look at the other side enough. Imagine working at Starbucks and having to look at my dumb face all day? My friend who is a writer worked at Starbucks and trying to get people to leave who just squatted all day was horrible. I watched 1 episode of Fleabag and had a great scene of a guy setting up his office in the coffee/muffin shop and he didn't want to order anything.

                            I typed this at home FYI.
                            Last edited by Bono; 10-07-2019, 02:21 PM.

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Re: Where do you like to write?

                              Originally posted by Bono View Post

                              I find it annoying if a customer takes up a table for more than 2 hours and even more upsetting when they don't even buy a somthing every 2 hours -- that's like the unwritten rule.
                              Seems like a perfect Larry David moment for you to step in and teach a lesson, Bono. KO them on the spot.

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Re: Where do you like to write?

                                Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                                I'm not sure I could handle TF's 40' x 40' space but I was thinking that a "wespace" might be something i'd like to try. not sure. Has anyone else rented space to write?

                                FA4
                                A forty by forty-foot area is a big space, all right. It was what was available, so I took it. It is carpeted, though, so that helps reduce the echo of any noise that I might make. But it is so damn quiet that I hear the hum of the ballasts from the fluorescent lighting. That is when the lights go off, if it is sunny enough, and I often write by window light. When it is cloudy or dark outside, and the lights must be on, that is when I break out the Bluetooth headphones and Mozart.
                                “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

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